Some P.E.I. long-term care residents celebrate 2nd doses of COVID-19 vaccine

Residents of the Garden Home long-term care facility in Charlottetown received their second doses of vaccine to fight COVID-19 this week, and on Thursday celebrated being able to loosen restrictions as a result. 

Facility administrators say 97 per cent of their residents got both doses of the vaccine. Staff are still in the process of getting their second shots, but 75 per cent are now fully immunized.

"Cut that rope!" residents chanted in unison Thursday as one of the residents cut a ceremonial rope to the activity room, where they celebrated finally being able to mingle again by having cake and non-alcoholic champagne. 

The residents had been grouped in small cohorts, separated by what corridor they lived on, for the last 11 months. But now that they're fully vaccinated, they are allowed to drop the cohorts and move about the whole building. They are also able to all dine together again.  

"It has been an emotional roller-coaster for everyone involved, so this is a day to celebrate," said Angela Boudreau, the Garden Home's activity director.

"I guess you don't know what you have until it's taken away."

Socializing is a big part of people's life, Boudreau said, especially seniors, so the restrictions were tough. She said she's looking forward to things getting back to normal.

'Getting the vaccine's good'

Restrictions are extra stringent at nursing homes because they have been the source of COVID-19 outbreaks in other parts of the country, with tragic consequences. Older people are more susceptible to the virus. 

When indoor visits became permitted again last spring at long-term care homes, a staff member at Whisperwood Villa in Charlottetown, tested positive for COVID-19 in early July. The virus did not spread, but a tense few weeks followed while residents were closely monitored and tested. The Garden Home and Whisperwood are run by the same company, P.E.I. Seniors Homes. 

Barbara Currie, 85, has been living at the Garden Home for a year and a half, and hasn't seen her closest friends for months. 

"It's absolutely great, because the two people that I spent most of my time with were unavailable to me ... they're on different corridors," Currie said. "I really missed them." 

Pre-pandemic, Currie said she visited most of the morning and read the newspaper with one friend, then after lunch would spend the afternoon looking out over the water chatting with another group in a different area of the building. 

"It almost puts me into tears to be able to be back with them again, it's pretty special," she said, choking up. 

"It's been really hard for a lot of people," Currie said of the pandemic. "Getting the vaccine's good." 

Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison says the province is on track to have all staff and residents of long-term care facilities vaccinated by Feb. 16.

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