BANFF – St. Martha’s Place continuing care at Banff’s Mineral Springs Hospital has been dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak.
Continuing care facilities are reported publicly when there are two or more cases, indicating that transmission within the facility has occurred.
“We’ve been in communications with Mineral Springs Hospital and although St. Martha’s is still listed as an outbreak site, there are no residents currently isolating there,” said Silvio Adamo, the director of emergency management for the Town of Banff in a COVID-19 update to council on Monday (Jan. 24).
Information on COVID-19 outbreaks is updated on the province’s website on Tuesdays and Fridays each week. Case numbers for outbreaks at specific sites are not provided online because they change rapidly and often.
As a precaution, control measures are put in place at continuing care facilities and group homes with a single confirmed case. Outbreaks are not declared over until four weeks since the last case was identified – so not all outbreaks listed on the government website have current transmission happening.
Adamo said Mineral Springs Hospital has not been immune to the Omicron wave that hit Banff, noting the hospital is still managing despite some staffing shortages.
“They have an option to apply a higher nurse-to-patient ratio, if necessary, but it has not been needed to date,” he said. “Surgeries are still on schedule and have been unaffected so far.”
Alberta is seeing the highest hospitalizations recorded since the COVID-19 pandemic began. There are currently 1,377 people in hospital province-wide as of Jan. 25, including 111 in intensive care.
Adamo said Mineral Springs Hospital still has significant bed capacity.
“Covenant Health Mineral Springs Hospital is working with Alberta Health Services in the event that they may need to take patients from the city to lighten the burden on those major urban centres,” he said.
The number of reported COVID-19 cases in Banff and Lake Louise was listed as 116 as of Jan. 20, however, provincial health experts have estimated it may be anywhere from four to 10 times higher due to changes to testing and reporting requirements.
Town of Banff officials say the wastewater treatment surveillance data now provides a much more accurate gauge.
Adamo said some good news is there appears to be a sustained downward trend in COVID-19 levels in Banff’s wastewater.
“We obviously hope that this continues,” said Adamo. “This by no means we can rip off our masks and stop following all health rules and recommendations, but we are certainly heading in the right direction.”
Meanwhile, the Town of Banff has secured two more additional dates with a private contractor Aceso Medical for mass walk-in vaccination clinics at Banff Town Hall – Tuesday, Feb. 1, from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Wednesday, Feb. 2, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m..
Pfizer and Moderna doses available and vaccines will be administered on a first-come, first-served basis, with additional staff allowing for about 20 people to be immunized per hour.
The Town of Banff has also spent $12,000 on contracting walk-in vaccine clinics, which does not include the mass vaccination clinics at the Fenlands recreation centre and earlier Aceso vaccine bus or van visits in 2021.
Mayor Corrie DiManno fired off a letter to Alberta Health Minister Jason Copping last week calling for an urgent meeting to discuss several topics, including better collaboration with the province on vaccinations and rapid test distribution.
“We have not received an official response to date, but continue to work with our provincial partners to advocate for more Pfizer doses for our 18 to 30 demographic as well as paediatric doses,” said Adamo.
Local Banff pharmacies and clinics continue to offer vaccinations as staffing and vaccine availability allows.
In addition, the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and Rimrock Resort Hotel recently hosted vaccine clinics.
“I would like to publicly thank both the Fairmont and ID9 for including Banff residents in their clinics,” said Adamo.
In Banff and Lake Louise, 10,538 people have had at least one dose, 9,386 are double vaccinated and 3,341 have had their third dose as of Jan. 25.
“The gap is still just over 6,000 between second and third doses – and that’s where we’re seeing the demand,” said Adamo.
Adamo said he wanted to remind residents who have a way of getting to Canmore or to Calgary to do so for their booster shots to free up the limited appointments available in Banff.
He said it’s important for residents to check the booking system on the Alberta Health Services website frequently.
“There are appointments that continually become available,” he said. “It is very sporadic and it can be very frustrating for folks, but we just ask that you be patient and continue to keep looking at the website for available appointments.”
Mayor DiManno said this speaks to the importance of walk-in vaccine clinics. On Jan, 9 and 10, Town of Banff-sponsored clinics was able to administer 430 over the two days.
“You don’t have to get an appointment, you can walk up,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Town of Banff has 16 employees off work with COVID-19 or displaying symptoms.
“We are in a better position definitely than we were over the Christmas holidays, but still have some areas where we’re having difficulties,” said Town Manager Kelly Gibson.
As COVID-19 Omicron variant cases continue to spread in the Bow Valley, many are being required to isolate for 5-10 days.
For locals with questions about what to do and also those who are struggling or unable to work due to symptoms or illness, the Bow Valley Primary Care Network has developed a resource guide outlining a number of supports. To access the guide, visit bowvalleypcn.ca/covid19supports.
Dr. Kendra Barrick, a Bow Valley Primary Care Network Family physician, said it’s important to stay home if experiencing symptoms to take care of yourself, reduce the spread and ultimately ensure that the healthcare system doesn’t become overwhelmed.
“The vast majority of people experiencing severe outcomes and being hospitalized are not yet vaccinated,” she said.
“I encourage all eligible residents to get vaccinated or get their boosters to help reduce chances of being hospitalized and overburdening the local healthcare system.”
Immunized adults who have received two doses and who are showing any of the core symptoms of cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose, sore throat, or loss of taste or smell are legally required to isolate for five days or until symptoms end, while those who are not immunized must isolate for 10 days or until symptoms end.
Physicians say that residents showing core symptoms should proceed as though they have COVID-19 even if they are unable to confirm a positive result.
Yvette Penman, executive director of the Bow Valley Primary Care Network, said the strain of the pandemic has been felt by so many locals.
She said people are being impacted affected in different ways, whether financial, emotional, physical or from the added pressure of being a caregiver to children or other adults.
“The COVID-19 Supports and Resources Guide was developed to raise awareness of supports that are available,” said Penman.
