Some home care and support workers are being asked to take on more tasks than they are trained to do and their union leader is concerned it may be related to a potential nurses strike.
Data provided by the WRHA shows only two nursing homes were fitted with the new N95s on Sept. 29 a point when COVID-19 case counts had been steadily rising across the province and outbreaks had been declared at four personal care homes in Winnipeg.
By October, the fit-testing devices had been loaned to another 16 of Winnipeg s 38 nursing homes for testing staff.
A spokesperson for the WRHA said the authority originally created a schedule for the devices for September to December, but had to change it to prioritize homes as more outbreaks were declared.
Some homes have testing machines
Some personal care homes have their own fit-testing resources, including homes owned by Revera one of Canada s largest care home operators, and the company that manages Parkview Place and Maples Long Term Care Home, the sites of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in Manitoba to date.