While now under control, a recent surge in COVID-19 cases among those experiencing homelessness in Kelowna resulted in a number of agencies scrambling and collaborating to mitigate the situation.
Dr. Silvina Mema, a medical health officer with Interior Health (IH), estimates that there were at least 130 positive cases of the virus within Kelownasa国际传媒檚 homeless population between mid-August and the end of September.
Despite the spike in cases, outbreaks or exposures at various homeless shelters were not recorded on IHsa国际传媒檚 list of public exposures.
sa国际传媒淲e donsa国际传媒檛 have to post it unless we feel that there is a risk to the public,sa国际传媒� said Mema. sa国际传媒淚f we felt that the general public was at risk, we would definitely post it and we do that.sa国际传媒�
She explained that outbreaks at long-term care homes and daycares, for example, are posted on the list of public exposures because there are guidelines for declaring outbreaks at licensed facilities. Schools, homeless shelters and workplaces, she added, do not meet the threshold for declaring public outbreaks.
sa国际传媒淭he flip side is that when you announce something like this and highlight something like this, it can create harm for these individuals. They begin to be discriminated against, the providers that work at the shelters will be scared, they wonsa国际传媒檛 come to work,sa国际传媒� she said.
sa国际传媒淭hey were aware that they were cases, but we donsa国际传媒檛 need to inflame or overdo it when we felt like we had a good grasp of the situation. We had it under control.sa国际传媒�
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A positive case of the virus at the Kelowna Gospel Missionsa国际传媒檚 Doyle Avenue shelter in early September prompted staff to isolate the individual in a hotel room.
sa国际传媒淏ut IH came and did asymptomatic testing of anybody who was willing or wanted to get tested,sa国际传媒� said Carmen Rempel, the executive director of Kelownasa国际传媒檚 Gospel Mission.
Of the 14 people who were tested, 13 tested positive for the virus, Rempel said.
sa国际传媒淭he problem was that this was a tipping point for COVID in Kelowna because the hotel that was provided sa国际传媒� those 28 hotel rooms for folks to isolate in sa国际传媒� were full,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淭hey were already full, so we had no place to put them.sa国际传媒�
The shelter was tasked with deciding whether to shelter the infected individuals or leave them outside on the street. The Mission went with the former and collaborated with IH to divide the shelter into two zones: a hot zone for those infected and a cold zone for those who werensa国际传媒檛 sick with the virus.
sa国际传媒淚H came along and they continued to do asymptomatic testing twice a week. We had more positive cases pop up,sa国际传媒� she said.
As asymptomatic testing was conducted, vaccines were also rolled out. Similar hot and cold zones were also set up at shelters grappling with a spike in cases. Meanwhile, the Mission worked with BC Housing to secure an additional 10 hotel rooms for isolation purposes.
sa国际传媒淣ow we donsa国际传媒檛 have the need anymore to have folks isolating inside the shelters. We actually now have enough hotel rooms,sa国际传媒� said Rempel.
Based on an informal, verbal survey at the Gospelsa国际传媒檚 Leon Avenue shelter, she estimates that 50 per cent of clients have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
She confirmed that the Mission is clear of COVID-19, and Mema said that the situation is under control, thanks to the efforts of all groups.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 been an incredible experience. As much as itsa国际传媒檚 difficult and not a situation any of us want to be in, Isa国际传媒檓 amazed at the collaboration by BC Housing, IH and service providers in town,sa国际传媒� said Rempel.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 unprecedented collaboration. Itsa国际传媒檚 extraordinary.sa国际传媒�
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aaron.hemens@kelownacapnews.com
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