When it comes to providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to its front line medical workers, St. Joseph's Health Centre of Sudbury is in good shape right now.
But if there is an outbreak of COVID-19 — meaning two or more active cases — then there is a significant worry there is not enough N95 masks in the emergency pandemic supply. The N95 mask, also known as a respirator, is considered the gold standard by being able to filter out 95 per cent of hazardous particles and airborne aerosols.
The shortage issue was raised recently by Nickel Belt MPP and NDP health critic France Gélinas. She stood in the legislature to complain that not enough was being done by the Ministry of Health to ensure that N95 masks were getting distributed to the four care health-care operations run by St. Joseph, which includes the long-term care homes St. Joseph’s Villa and Villa St. Gabriel.
Promising news
There is hope that things may be improving now, according to Jo-Anne Palkovits, president and CEO/administrator at St. Josephs. Palkovits revealed she heard some promising news during a teleconference this week.
"The Minister of Health actually just said within the last couple of days that there will be an eight-week supply of PPE given to every long-term care home in the province, for free," she said.
Palkovits explained that St. Joseph's Health Centre has what it needs for regular day-to-day operations.
"We have all the necessary PPE for our current operations, as well as in a pandemic (emergency) supply. We actually have an eight-week supply of gloves, surgical masks, gowns and everything that's required," she said.
"The only thing we are missing, however, are N95 masks. So we have been working very hard with everyone that we possibly can to try and acquire those N95 masks for the past several months.”
The term "pandemic supply" is used to describe the PPE that is needed in the event of an outbreak, where two or more persons are infected with the coronavirus.
She said the N95 mask is required by front-line medical workers when there are aerosol-generating medical procedures carried out.
"All the scientific research indicates that for this particular virus -- with the exception of aerosol generating procedures -- we do not need N95 masks; that surgical masks are sufficient. Having said that, during any kind of crisis or pandemic, we do want to ensure that we have an eight-week supply of N95 masks in our inventory," she explained. Right now, there are none in the emergency supply cache.
Palkovits said she is hopeful because of the recent statement by the health minister, and also because of a federal-provincial commitment to expand a 3M manufacturing plant for creating new masks.
She said it is anticipated that the new facility will begin delivering N95 masks sometime next spring.
"But again the concern is that we are now in Wave Two as announced by the premier, so again we are just very, very cautious and are spending many, many hours trying to access more N95 masks any way we can,” she said.
Just as importantly, she said, is the ongoing effort by staff members to keep COVID-19 away from patients and residents. She said this was evident during a couple of outbreaks experienced in April and again in May.
Rockstars
"I do really want to say that I do think our staff have been amazing during both of the outbreaks we had. It was very challenging for everyone," she said. Palkovits added that unlike some long-term homes in Southern Ontario, her Sudbury staff took steps to ensure the virus did not spread.
"The staff worked very hard to contain the virus, and for that I am very grateful to them."
Palkovits said one of the key factors was following procedures and ensuring everyone used the right PPE.
"So they were masking and gowning and hand washing. By following the correct infection control policies and procedures in place at our facilities, they were just rock stars. So I would just like to emphasize the great work all of our staff are doing in protecting our patients and our residents," she said.
