Montreal how the Chinese hospital resisted the invader

In January 2020, when the pandemic was not yet on the radar screen of Quebec authorities, employees of the Chinese Hospital of Montreal already wore the mask and voluntarily isolated their families.

While we hear for a few weeks, in the Coroner Géhane Kamel investigation, gaps in some CHSLDs that caused a massacre at the start of the pandemic, the Montreal Chinese Hospital has just been rewarded for its good"Performance": he only knew four cases of COVID-19 in his residents, no hatching, and only one death.

During the first wave, in the spring of 2020, there was no case with his residents.

A few weeks ago, the establishment received the medal of the National Assembly because of its remarkable situation.

How did this CHSLD, which accommodate 128 residents, in the Chinese district, resisted the virus?

Employees, mostly Chinese ancestry, began to hear about the dangers of coronavirus in January 2020, by their families and friends living in China, says the establishment's coordinator, Sandra Lavoie.

Seeing what was going on in China, they obtained masks and visors, even if there was no instructions on this subject.They applied the measures they saw in China.

Sandra Lavoie, coordinator of the Montreal Chinese Hospital

"We bought masks with our own money, on Amazon," confirms Savan Inthavong, an attendant to the beneficiaries.

The CEO has given the authorization to use these means of protection, because some employees had gone on a trip to China and that she knew there were certain risks."And it made it possible to reduce anxiety among employees, who work a lot in a team," she said.

Voluntarily restrict visits

Another initiative: employees decided not to meet their families on the occasion of the Chinese New Year, which took place on January 25, 2020, to avoid the risk of contamination.

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Chinese New Year celebrations which were to take place in the establishment were also canceled.

"The families of the residents, the people of the community, decided themselves to restrict their visits, because they were aware of the risks, they have self-disciplined," added Sandra Lavoie.

Fook Tim Chan, 96, residing in the place, himself asked his eight children not to visit it anymore.

Before, my family came every week, my children even brought me food.But I told them to stop coming because of the covid.

FOOK TIM CHAN, 96, residing from the Chinese Hospital of Montreal

Even today, he is satisfied with virtual contacts, through the screen of an iPad, with his children.

"We have very good services here, and a very good protection system," said Mr..Chan, who is very proud of the National Assembly Medal received by the establishment.

« On est comme une petite famille»»

Unlike other CHSLDs, the Chinese hospital has recourse to the services of outside employees or from agencies, which also allowed him to close the door to the virus.

"Here we are like a small family," explains Savan Inthavong.When there was a lack of staff, rather than bringing someone from outside, someone from the team was volunteer to go overtime.»»

There were still 15 cases of COVID-19 among the employees, but no contamination between them or with the residents.

All these measures, this teamwork and this awareness of the community allowed the establishment to get out of it much better than others, rejoices the Sandra Lavoie.

Ironically, when all these precautions were taken, employees were victims of discrimination because of their Chinese origins, which some associated with the source of the virus.

"I was carrying a mask in public transport long before everyone else," recalls Savan Inthavong.But when people saw that I was Asian, they changed space in the bus so as not to be next to me.People are wary of us, we were going to get a coffee and we were told to go back to our country.We were labeled as public dangers.»»