Sienna Senior Living Inc. Provides Business Update

MARKHAM, Ontario, Jan. 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sienna Senior Living Inc. (“Sienna” or the “Company”) (TSX: SIA) today provided the following update.

“This year has started with both promise and urgency in the fight against COVID-19,” said Nitin Jain, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sienna. “I have witnessed first-hand at our residences the dedication and courage of our incredible team members as they fight COVID-19 despite rapid spread in their local communities. I am truly grateful to our governments that residents in seniors living, frontline team members and essential caregivers have been prioritized to receive the vaccine so they can have the much needed protection they deserve.”

Vaccination Update

Since mid-December 2020, Sienna’s vaccination task force has been supporting the roll-out of the vaccine across all of our residences in Ontario and British Columbia. As of January 22, 2021, approximately 75% of Sienna’s long-term care residents and approximately 52% of Sienna’s long-term care team members have been vaccinated. While the vaccine roll-out across long-term care residences remains a priority for provincial governments, vaccinations have also commenced at some of Sienna’s retirement residences with approximately 28% of residents and approximately 25% of team members vaccinated to date.

“The arrival of vaccines is a turning point and will be our most impactful defence in the fight against COVID-19,” said Dr. Andrea Moser, Chief Medical Officer of Sienna. “As team members, residents and essential caregivers are being vaccinated, we continue to have stringent precautions in place to reduce the impact of COVID-19 at our residences.”

COVID-19 Update

As of January 24, 2021, 28 residences of Sienna’s 83 owned or managed residences are in outbreak with active cases of COVID-19 at 23 long-term care and 5 retirement residences.  

High rates of community transmission remain a key risk factor for COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care residences, which are especially hard to contain in older Class C homes.

Government Funding Update

On January 5, 2021, the Government of Ontario announced an additional $398 million in funding for costs related to enhanced staff and visitor testing requirements and continued prevention and containment efforts.

In addition, the Government of Ontario announced the extension of its occupancy protection funding for long-term care residences until February 28, 2021 in support of infection and prevention protocols. This will support long-term care providers in limiting rooms with three or four beds to a maximum of two residents per room.