(Quebec) The administration of the third dose of vaccine against COVID-19 is “disorganized” in private residences for the elderly (RPA), denounces their grouping. The deployment of rapid tests for mandatory screening of unvaccinated health workers is also still pending in the field.
The Regroupement Québécois des Residences Privés pour Anés (RQRA) asks Quebec to call its CISSS and CIUSSS to order to ensure that ministerial directives are applied in the same way everywhere in Quebec.
“You have to have a certain consistency [des établissements], because at the moment, it is not, ”launches its President and CEO, Marc Fortin, who reports a“ disorganized ”campaign for the third dose of vaccine against COVID-19.
He reports that some of its members “still have no date” on the agenda for the administration of the additional dose. Others would have the response from the establishments that the vaccination teams will not go to the accommodation settings where the residents “are independent”. The RQRA brings together some 800 RPA managers and owners in the province.
“While for the first and second doses, the CISSS and CIUSSS agreed to come and vaccinate 100% of the residents, at the moment, we have the CISSS and the CIUSSS who refuse to vaccinate all the clientele”, explained Mr. Fortin, who fears a negative effect on the vaccination rate.
Changing directives
” Some [établissements] only want to vaccinate [résidants] care units or those registered in home care programs, ”explains Mr. Fortin.
That was not the original directive. Each CISSS begins to put its own rules, it must be homogeneous on the territory.
Marc Fortin, President and CEO of the RQRA
Quebec gave the green light to the administration of an additional dose of vaccine against COVID-19 for sheltered seniors, in September. The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) stated that “mobile teams move around[aient] gradually in living environments ”, which includes RPAs.
“Thus, people or their relatives have no formalities to do for the moment and do not need to make an appointment,” we wrote. The campaign began in certain accommodation settings, such as CHSLDs and RPAs, last week. The progress of the campaign varies according to the region.
Press asked for details on the progress of the administration of the third dose in residential settings for the elderly as well as on the issues raised by the RQRA, but the MSSS was unable to provide answers before publication.
“The government has done its job, nuance Mr. Fortin. Now, our job is to bring this back to the Ministry so that it can talk to the CISSS and CIUSSS again and ensure that the service is there, ”he argues.
Delays in screening
In addition, the tests necessary for mandatory screening since October 15 among health workers who are not adequately vaccinated “are slow to arrive” on the ground, deplores Mr. Fortin. One of its members has just received boxes of tests for two of its 33 residences without any instruction, he says.
[Ailleurs], it’s pretty much the same thing, people are waiting. There are [des membres] who received them [les tests de dépistage] and who call the CISSS and the CIUSSS to receive the directives, the processes of use.
Marc Fortin
“Once again, there are CISSSs and CIUSSSs that do it well, and others where it is less well done. “
Unvaccinated RPA staff must be screened for COVID-19 three times a week – as is the case in the public health network – since Quebec postponed the entry into force of mandatory vaccination to November 15. Only RPAs with nine seats or less are exempt, according to the application guide of the ministerial decree of October 16.
“We are 12 days later and the tests are starting to come in, so we have not been able to set them up,” says Mr. Fortin. Screening of unvaccinated employees was also a request from the RQRA to prevent compulsory vaccination from leading to service disruptions in residences. He would like the authorities to be more “realistic” in terms of the deadlines accompanying the instructions.
On the subject of compulsory vaccination, the RQRA estimates that the one-month suspension granted by the government will allow “less dramatic effects” in residences on November 15.