By Cecilia Nasmith
The Golden Plough Lodge got 96% of its residents vaccinated last week, Administrator Bill Detlor announced at the January Community Health Committee of Northumberland County council.
“There was enough for the residents who desired to be vaccinated – about 96% of the home,” Detlor estimated.
That's good news, but there's more – there were enough vaccines left over for about 10 more doses. These went to a special contingent of staffers, those who have volunteered for service on a dedicated COVID ward that has been designated at the Plough but, as yet, has no occupants.
Though he has nothing in writing, Detlor does have assurances that second doses for these staffers and residents should be available within the 21-to-38-day time frame. He also has assurances that other staffers and essential care givers can be vaccinated prior to the middle of February.
This comes at a time when the Plough is actually in outbreak, the designation imposed by the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit on a facility where a staffer or resident has tested positive for COVID-19.
Detlor reminded the committee that the first case of a staff testing positive happened in December, and the facility's outbreak status expired when no further positive cases were uncovered and the designated time elapsed – on Jan. 2.
The Plough returned to outbreak status Jan. 16 with another staffer testing positive.
“To date, there are three staff self-isolating at home,” Detlor's report said.
“Public Health contact tracing procedures rates the risk as low. Outbreak status will continue to Feb. 5.”
Though four staffers have historically tested positive, he added, no resident as yet has tested positive.
