Local News
17 cases of Covid now at Simkin Centre
Updated April 2 The past few days have seen a resurgence of Covid at the Simkin Centre, although the current variant affecting residents, Omicron B-1 is milder than the previous Delta and Alpha variants. According to information provided on the Simkin Centre Facebook page, 14 residents on Simkin 2 are currently testing positive for Covid, while three residents on Weinberg 1 are also testing positive.
Previously, seven residents on Weinberg 1 had tested positive but, as of March 28, four have recovered. The outbreak on Simkin 2 was first made public on March 28. At that point only one resident on Simkin 2 tested positive. The fact that the outbreak has now spread to 13 other residents is an indication how virulent the current strain of Covid is.
The April 1 Simkin Centre Facebook post warns that “Designated Caregivers on Simkin 2 are welcome to visit at their own risk. Personal protective equipment will be provided and must be worn during your visit.”
The post goes on to say that “With the rising number of Resident and staff cases we are experiencing significant staffing shortages. We want to thank the Designated Caregivers for their assistance during this challenging time.”
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Poarws Jan. 17 A total of 20 Residents have tested positive for Covid. Of those 20, 15 have recovered. The remainder are in the Covid isolation unit. In addition, two more staff have tested positive, bringing the total number of staff who have tested positive to 31. Twenty-six of the staff have returned to work.
Updated Jan. 13 Three more Residents have now tested positive for Covid. The total number of Residents who are now in the Covid isolation unit is up to 15. One Resident has recovered and has been released from the isolation unit.
Updated Jan. 11 Of the 29 staff who had testd positive for Covid, 26 have now returned to work following the mandated five-day quarantine period. One more Resident has tested positive for Covid. The first Resident to test postive for Covid has been released from the Covid isolation unit.
Updated Jan. 10 On Sunday, Jan. 9 the Simkin Centre reported that a total of 10 Residents have now tested positive for Covid. On Jan. 8 3 Residents had been reported as having tested positive. The total number of Residents who have now tested positive stands at 10. The Centre reports that additional tests for some Residents on Weinberg 3 have been administered.
There are no additional reports of staff having tested positive. Twenty-six staff will have recovered and were expected to return to work today.
Posted Jan. 7
A total of 29 staff mmebers have tested positive for Covid. By Monday we expect 20 staff will have recovered and returned to work.Staffing at the moment has stabilized.
There are no new Resident cases of Covid to report. The one Resident with Covid is stable.
Posted Jan. 4
Some staff who tested postive are now back at work. A total of 24 staff have tested positive, with 8 having completed their isolation period.. So far, still only one Resident has tested positive.
Posted Jan. 3
An additional three staff cases have now been identifed at the Simkin Centre, bringing the total number of staff affected to 16. There are no further Resident cases to report.
The Simkin Centre welcomed back Designated Caregivers today. Only one Designated Caregiver is allowed to visit at a time.
Posted Jan. 2
The Simkin Centre now reports that three more staff have tested positive for Covid, bringing the total number of staff affected to 13.
As well, late in the evening of December 31, the Centre was advised that a Resident from Simkin 2 tested positive for Covid.
According to the Centre, “the Resident has been transferred to our Covid Isolation Unit and is receiving excellent care. Family members of Residents living on the affected unit will be contacted. All visitations, including designated family care givers, have. been suspended until further notice.
Posted Jan. 1:
The Simkin Centre now reports that 10 staff members have tested positive for Covid. According to the Centre, “One staff member did not work during their infectious period.”
There are no Resident cases at this time.
Posted Dec. 31:
The Simkin Centre now reports that a total of seven staff members have tested positive for Covid. As well, the Centre reports that “We have also had visitors adivse us that they have tested positive after being at our Centre.”
The Centre also reports that they “are experiencing staffing shortages in all departments.” As a result the Centre has implemented the following steps:
1. Tub baths and showers will be suspended. Residents will be receiving sponge baths instead.
2. Bed linens will be changed only when wet or soiled.
3. Beds will be clean however not necessarily “made” as per usual expectations.
4. Resident personal clothing may be worn for more than one day at a time unless wet or soiled prior to sending for laundering.
5. Residents may be dressed in hospital gowns to facilitate expedited care delivery.
6. Pandemic meal plans will be iniitiated. This includes the use of disposable clothes, standardized menu items such as pureed soup and dessert for all residents.
7. Housekeeping services have been prioritized for Resident areas and high touch surfaces.
As well, the Simkin Centre issued the following all for help on their Facebook page:
Are you a retired health care aide who is interested in coming back to work at the Simkin Centre to assist with our staffing shortages during our outbreak? If so please reach out to hr@simkincentre.ca as soon as possible. We need your experience!
Posted Dec. 30
On December 26 the Simkin Centre reported that “we were notified of a staff member testing positive for Covid-19 who worked on Simkin 2 night shift on December 22nd…”
Then, on December 29 the Simkin Centre issued another report: “Today we were notified of two more staff testing positive for Covid-19 who worked on Weinberg 3 and Simkin 2. Their cases are linked which means we are now in a Covid-19 Outbreak….
“We have no Resident cases at this time. Residents on affected units will be closely monitored and tested if they develop any symptons. The visting restrictions being implemented tomorrw will remain in place.”
To read the complete list of rules that are now in place at the Simkin Centre go to https://mailchi.mp/simkincentre/volume-1-issue-10713006?fbclid=IwAR2mW0ZZgLlC89EM0V7yuK97OFQXGPjFedGQaEMK7N1jJVtQy6BUJTpBHuA
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First year medical student Tim Rozovsky founds new association for local Jewish medical students
By MYRON LOVE In the face of a concerning surge in antisemitism over the past nearly three years, I am happy to report a good news story in that regard. Tim Rozovsky, the founder of the new Jewish Medical Students’ Association of Manitoba, reports that he and his fellow Jewish students enrolled in the University of Manitoba’s Max Rady College of Medicine are not experiencing any significant issues involving antisemitism.
Hopefully, the matter of the notorious Med school Valedictorian who used his podium to attack Israel was a one-off.
“My goal in forming the Jewish Medical Students’ Association of Manitoba,” says the first year medical student, “was to create a safe, supportive environment for my fellow Jewish medical students.”
He reports that the current first year class at the school has eight Jewish students – an increase over more recent years – with maybe a dozen more in the other years.
For a new medical student, Rozovsky already has an impressive resume. He was born in Russia and grew up in Israel. After the completion of his army service in 2018, the then-22-year-old rejoined his parents, Dr. Katya and Alexander, who had moved to Winnipeg a few years before.
Prior to coming to Winnipeg, Rozovsky had completed a personal trainer program out of The Academic College at Wingate in Jerusalem. Some readers may know the young man from his work as a Master Personal Trainer at the Rady JCC.
Shortly after arriving here, he enrolled in a kinesiology program at the University of Winnipeg. He graduated with a BKin Honours in 2023 and did post graduate work at the University of Manitoba. Last fall, he received his MSc in Physiology and Pathophysiology – earning two gold medals, along with 32 awards and scholarships in the process.
Rozovsky says that it was his mother who inspired him to pursue a career in medicine. Dr. Katya Rozovsky is an associate professor at the University of Manitoba and an attending radiologist, specializing in pediatric diagnostic imaging.
(Tim also adds that his wife, Irina Gelzin, whom he married about a year ago, is training to be a nurse.)
Insofar as the Jewish Medical Students’ Association of Manitoba is concerned, Rozovky reports that the group gets together multiple times a year. One of its programs was a joint Chanukah celebration with the Jewish Physicians Association of Manitoba.
There was also a joint program with the Christian Medical and Dental Students’ Association of Manitoba.
“More recently, we have been helping prospective Jewish medical students with their applications,” he says. “Hopefully we will be able to get together over the summer with the incoming Jewish students.”
As to his own future plans, Rozovsky notes that it is too early for him to be deciding on a specialty. “My goal,” he says, “is to work hard and get good grades and become the best doctor that I can be.”
Local News
Gray Academy to Represent Manitoba at National Reach for the Top Competition
By NOAH STRAUSS Posted June 6) Gray Academy’s Reach for the Top team is headed to Moncton, New Brunswick, to represent Manitoba at the National Reach for the Top tournament.
Reach for the Top is a Canadian school league that quizzes teenagers on a variety of different topics, from science and history to pop culture. Reach started out in 1961 in Vancouver, where a local CBC station broadcasted the new show; it eventually became a national broadcast starting in 1966. Alex Trebek, who famously hosted Jeopardy!, started out by hosting Reach for the Top.
Gray Academy’s very own team, made up of Grade 7 and 8 students, will travel to Moncton, New Brunswick, to compete as Team Manitoba. By winning the provincial Reach tournament, they secured their spot in the national competition.
Faculty members at Gray Academy are very supportive of the program. The Jewish Post spoke with three different staff members at the school. Coach and high school teacher Danielle Miller says she is excited for the trip; although she will not be accompanying the team herself, shehas coached them all year.
“This year we had over 20 students come to the club to join us, they practice twice a cycle at lunch,” Miller said. Due to the large turnout this year, two teams had to be formed. At lunch practices, students split into two teams of four where each player has a buzzer. The two teams compete to see who can answer the most questions correctly.
One of the two teams did exceptionally well at various tournaments throughout the year and will be traveling to nationals as the sole team representing Manitoba.
Co-coach Micah Doerksen described Reach as a great academic competition where young minds are tested on various topics through quick,fast-paced questions.
High school guidance counselor Lindsey Leipsic said, “We have athletes, non-athletes, we have students who are really involved and students who are not as involved at school, and we have quiet leaders, and we’ve seen friendships be built in Reach.” Some of her favorite memories of Reach involve seeing students from across Winnipeg come to Gray Academy and bond with one another. Lev Chisick, who is competing at nationals, agreed, saying, “Moncton is going to strengthen our school spirit and make us a better team.”
As the junior team makes their way to Moncton, the senior team will head to provincials. Later this week, students from the senior team will travel to Virden, Manitoba, to compete at the provincial level. The team qualified after placing high enough at their most recent tournament, which took place at St. Paul’s.
Confidence is high as the school heads into these final tournaments. When Nath Goldenberg, who is also competing at nationals, was asked what he is most looking forward to, his answer was short and sweet:“Winning.”
