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A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at Belinda's Place, York Region's shelter for homeless women in Newmarket, after one staff member tested positive.
To date, no other staff or clients at the shelter have exhibited symptoms of the virus since the outbreak was declared Dec. 14, according to York Region acting general manager of social services Monica Bryce.
Until they know for sure there hasn't been transmission inside the shelter, current clients are isolating in single-occupancy rooms and Belinda's Place is not accepting new clients from the transitional housing shelter at the Kingbridge Conference Centre.
As well, all drop-in programs are cancelled.
"Everyone will be referred to the transitional centre as usual, but they will be able to stay there for a little bit longer (than the usual 14 days) if Belinda's Place is the next place they would go, while there is an outbreak, " Bryce said. "No one will be without a place."
She said the measures put in place before and after the outbreak may have prevented further spread.
"With the support that we have had from public health and the measures we took early, and the fact that the Salvation Army (which operates the shelter) responded so quickly with the outbreak management plan, I think we got ahead of this," said Bryce.
This is the first confirmed case at Belinda's Place, but not the first outbreak at a York Region shelter. The men's shelter, Porter Place, in Holland Landing had two infections last spring.
Early into the pandemic, Belinda's Place reduced its capacity and gave all clients private single-occupancy rooms. Now that there has been an infection, the women are being asked to "shelter-in-place" in their rooms.
Food and other necessities are being brought to clients in their rooms, and support programming continues but is being delivered virtually rather than in person.
"We are offering as much virtual programming as we can so that there is still an opportunity to connect, you're not just left on your own," she said.
Regular screening of staff and clients, including temperature checks, is occurring. Enhanced cleaning and sanitation protocols are also in place, and York Region Public Health is checking in every day.
For the past several months, staff at the shelter have been limited to working at just one facility and are required to wear PPE such as masks, face shields and gloves during their shifts, she added.
The person who became infected was following those protocols, which Bryce believes significantly reduces the chances others were exposed.
Public Health investigators are currently tracing the individual's close contacts.
