A seniors advocate is calling on the province to hold a public inquiry to investigate the COVID-19 cases at Manoir de la Vallée in Atholville.
The long-term care facility has been at the centre of an outbreak in the Campbellton region.
Coalition for Seniors and Nursing Home Residents’ Rights executive director Cecile Cassista recently wrote a letter to Social Development minister Dorothy Shephard.
“The minister needs to have that done to come out with strong recommendations that we should learn quickly with this. But that’s not what they’re prepared to do. They are shutting the door and they are letting the ball drop on the poor, aging population,” says Cassista.
She feels a lot of questions remain unanswered including why ten workers left, who is now working at the home and what about the safety equipment?
In a letter to Cassista, Shephard said there was no need for a public inquiry because there was no question as to how COVID-19 entered the long-term care home.
Shephard said she was comfortable with how staff at the home have handled the situation.
