COVID-19: Rapid testing B.C. care homes staff makes sense, says seniors advocate – Vancouver Sun

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The province is looking at the protocols for the rapid tests, using them now in some remote communities and in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. “The lab team is still working [on] about where and how we can best use them,” Henry said.

According to data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, there had been 162 outbreaks and 1,570 COVID-19 cases in long-term care facilities as of Friday. Of the 331 deaths linked to the virus across B.C., 205 have been residents of care facilities.

Outbreaks were declared this week in two Island care homes: Discovery Harbour, operated by Park Place Seniors Living, in Campbell River and Tsawaayuus Rainbow Gardens in Port Alberni. One staff member has tested positive in Discovery Harbour. At Tsawaayuus Rainbow Gardens, a residents tested positive a few days after a staff member did.

Island Health said the outbreaks in those homes remained contained on Saturday.

Concern about workers transmitting the virus between facilities led the province to limit staff to working at just one site. Other measures have included increased cleaning and a restriction on outside visitors, along with screening, masks, and temperature checks for staff.

Mackenzie said she thinks rapid tests could provide another layer of protection.

“My concern at the moment is while we have made tremendous efforts and tremendous investments to make things safe in long-term care, I think we have not really fully realized the potential of testing in our care homes as an effective approach to catching potentially pre-symptomatic, asymptomatic either residents or more particularly staff,” she said. “And I think we could be doing more.”

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