Many of you ask us when the second injection of vaccine will take place for our residents and if our employees have been vaccinated?

I can confirm that some employees have received their first dose and the majority of our residents have received their first dose as well.

However, vaccination is not our responsibility but has been delegated to the CIUSSS Centre-Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal by the authorities.

Therefore, I cannot give you any information because we do not have any news ourselves. Only the CIUSSS knows what is going on and even they are being informed at the last minute by the Ministry of Health when decisions are made.

We, therefore, ask you to be patient and hope you understand that it is not our will to keep you in uncertainty but that we do not have access to the information you want.

Thank you and have a good day.

This week starts with good news. The CIUSSS has indeed advanced, for logistical reasons, the vaccination of our residents.

Today, 85 residents received the vaccine. More than 93% of all the residents presently residing at Château Westmount received their first dose of Moderna’s vaccine. Everything went well and was quickly over by the end of the morning.

None of our residents had any complications. Some mild side effects specific to all vaccines, pain at the injection site, mild fever, and fatigue, may appear within the next 48 hours. Our nursing teams are on the lookout.

We are now waiting for the news about the booster dose.

We would like to remind you that vaccination against Covid-19 is the responsibility of CIUSSS. Although we are made aware of the latest decisions, we are not involved in campaign planning. As soon as we receive new information, we will pass them on to you.

Let us keep hope, we are on the right track.

Thank you for your collaboration and see you soon.

2020 will have tested us all to various degrees. The COVID-19 outbreak is now over, and we are looking toward the future. We are back to our “normal” activities.

Normal in COVID time, means restrictions, to prevent repeating the difficult months we have just experienced. This is the new reality we have to live with.

However, we are starting 2021 with good news. The CIUSSS confirmed to us that the vaccination of residents will take place on January 12th. Our residents will be able to receive their first dose of Moderna’s vaccine. Please visit Health Canada for more information on this vaccine (Health Canada website).

Vaccination of employees has also begun. When the vaccine is given, we will still have to continue to take precautionary measures. There will always be a risk of the virus spreading among unvaccinated residents or among new residents who arrive after vaccination.

We are planning the resumption of video conferencing. We must first ensure that the workforce is available.

We will also resume the visits at the Oasis. We must delay it after the vaccination of the residents because we will need the Oasis during this period. We will inform you as soon as we have a specific date for the resumption of these activities.

Finally, we would like to convey all our wishes for 2021. We wish you and all your family members health and happiness.

 Residents   Employees
Active cases Recovered Active cases Recovered
0 74 (+6)   0 35 (+4)

We are pleased to announce that the outbreak has been contained. The latest screening of unaffected residents revealed no new cases. Preventive isolation measures have ended as of this evening.

Once again, we express heartfelt thanks to our nursing staff, our housekeepers, our professional staff, and our kitchen workers. All have made immeasurable efforts to help us overcome the spread of the virus within our walls.

Although most of our residents have been untouched by the virus, the loss of fifteen of our community members leaves a painful void. A memorial ceremony for our friends will be held in the new year.

Some semblances of normality will return within our walls in the coming days, but the pandemic is ongoing, and our residents remain at risk. Vigilance is the order of the day. All protective and preventive measures remain in force and they will be adjusted swiftly if need be.

The lobby is being disinfected. In early January, the Oasis will be rearranged to accommodate visitors and videoconferencing operations will resume.

As always, we thank you for your understanding.

Please accept our best wishes for the New Year.

Residents   Employees
Active cases Recovered Active cases Recovered
7 67 (+7)   4 31 (+6)

We are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The last two prevalence screenings produced no new cases.

If this trend continues, we plan to end the isolation of the remaining residents who tested positive on December 26th and the remaining unaffected residents by December 29th. If no new cases are detected, we look forward to declaring the end of the outbreak before 2020 comes to a close.

Further tests are planned between now and December 29th. We will let you know. Despite this good news, we must understand that there is still an outbreak and that the virus puts our residents at risk.

We lost four precious people over the weekend. This brings the total number of deaths related to COVID-19 to fifteen. The effects of this scourge remain difficult to absorb. We express our condolences to the bereaved families and to those who lived with them and cared for them.

The latest wave may be cresting, but we cannot, and we will not let down our guard. Visits are prohibited until further notice. We recognize that this is difficult, especially during the holiday season, but extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Please know that our residence family remains close to your loved ones.

We look forward to better times in 2021. Thank you for your understanding and for your patience.

Residents   Employees
Active cases Recovered Active cases Recovered
24 54   6 25 (+6)

We are pleased to report that the situation remains stable. On Tuesday the 15th, we recorded but 3 cases during prevalence testing (testing of unaffected residents).

The official count of recoveries has been reduced by 2 following the hospitalization of a resident for problems that appear to be unrelated to COVID. The active case count has been adjusted accordingly. Another recovered resident succumbed to unrelated health problems. Since this person had just emerged from isolation, the number of deceased has been adjusted as well. Condolences on behalf of the Château Westmount community have been expressed to the family.

The number of deaths related to COVID now stands at 11. Our friends will be greatly missed, and we will keep in our hearts the memories of the good times we shared with them.

We are pleased to report as well that there are fewer employees on leave and that services have not been significantly affected by the absences. Care is being provided as usual, even if it takes a little longer because employees must don fresh protective gear before entering each room.

The 3rd floor has been reopened and residents can move about the common areas. Access to the common areas of the ground floor will be restored once all residents have recovered.

Residents in isolation on the 2nd floor will conclude their quarantine this Friday. Our teams have already begun disinfecting operations. Common areas on the floor will be accessible once the cleaning operation is done.

Finally, our heartfelt thanks go out to our indefatigable activity leaders, Amanda and Kim, as well as to all who visited residents to keep bodies and spirits invigorated.

Residents   Employees
Active cases Recovered Active cases Recovered
20 56 (+ 12)   10 19 (+2)

We are pleased to report that the prevalence screening performed Thursday, December the 10th produced no positives. This bodes well. The number of active cases is decreasing, and some residents are returning to us from the hospital. It appears that the wave has crested.

We continue to work so that our residents may celebrate the holidays in familiar and reassuring surroundings. Such is the case on the 3rd floor, where residents can finally leave their rooms and enjoy the common areas.

The 2nd floor will undergo a full disinfection operation as of Monday the 14th. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to have all the rooms ready in time for the end of the isolation period. Some residents may have to wait for a day or two, while we attend to our meticulous tasks.

Once again, thank you for your support and your understanding. Join me in giving our healthcare workers, housekeeping, kitchen staff, and the team of professionals, a heartfelt bow of gratitude for their resilience and their devotion during these most difficult of times.

The Château Westmount community is strong.

Residents   Employees
Active cases Recovered Active cases Recovered
32 44 (+ 20)   11 17 (–)

While we have some very good news to announce, I, unfortunately, must start with the announcement of the deaths of two other residents. Although one of them was positive for COVID, his death is related to other medical problems.

The departure of one of our residents for any reason is always a sorrowful event for all of our staff. We would like to take the time to offer our condolences to the bereaved families.

We will wait for the end of this pandemic and then we will plan a commemoration for these extraordinary people who have left us.

In a more cheerful tone, we can announce that the 3rd floor is finally deconfined. Residents can move freely on the floor from today. Only the 2 residents who have not completed their isolation period and two others who have never had COVID must remain in their rooms. The latest will have to stay in preventive isolation for 14 days.

We detected only 5 new cases during the last prevalence (systematic screening of unaffected residents). Which indicates that we are on the right track.

The “great clean-up” of the second floor will begin next Monday.

Once again, thank you to all the families for your support and understanding.

Residents   Employees
Active cases Recovered Active cases Recovered
41 24 (+ 5)   11 17 (+ 7)

The “big clean-up” on the 3rd floor continues. Several residents have already returned to their rooms.

Prevalence tests on the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th floors are taking place today. Tests will proceed on the 4th floor tomorrow.

The overall situation is stable. However, it is with great sadness that we report a sixth death. We have conveyed our condolences to the family.

We are pleased to report that by next Thursday, most residents on the 2nd floor will conclude their 10-day isolation.

Several people have asked us when residents who have received a positive result will be retested. Residents who have tested positive will not have to be retested. A person who has been infected is deemed to be no longer contagious after 10 days.

Residents who have not tested positive will be kept in preventive isolation for 14 days after the last isolation on the unit is lifted.

Thank you for your patience and support.

Residents   Employees
Number of active cases Number of recovered Number of active cases Number of recovered
42 19   12 10

The cleaning and disinfecting of the 3rd floor have begun. We are in the process of creating a “cold zone”. Please be advised that residents on the 3rd floor who have not been infected will have to wait a few more days in preventive isolation before they can move about.

The situation remains stable for the time being on the other floors. The next screening tests are scheduled for next Monday.

We continue to communicate daily with the families of affected residents. If you have any questions, please contact us via email. You will understand that we are unable to respond with the same diligence that you are accustomed to under normal circumstances.

Thank you for your support.