Update from Administrator – February 12, 2021
February 12, 2021
Dear Families,
As always, we hope this letter finds you safe and healthy as we begin the New Year!
Our current CVOID status is one employee tested positive this week and is now recovering at home. We have 3 positive residents isolated while recovering within our facility.
We are happy to announce we completed our third vaccination clinic on Wednesday, February 10th.
If your loved one is receiving their first dose at this clinic, we will work with you and them to schedule their second dose outside of our center, once the Federal Pharmacy Partners Program concludes. The Department of Public Health is actively working on developing further vaccine guidance which will include recommended options and strategies for vaccination.
We are very excited that our residents and staff have had now had the opportunity to receive their doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from CVS here at our center. Any resident and staff member who did not participate or may be new to our center since the clinics were offered, continue to be eligible to receive the vaccine under the Phase 1a category. However, the vaccine will be administered outside of our center.
If your loved one is new to our center, we will contact you about your options as we continue to receive information from the state and CVS on the evolving plans.
Approximately 70% of our employees have received the vaccine and 115 residents received it.
With most nursing home residents having already received their first, and in many cases, second doses of the vaccine, the state has already reported a significant decrease in nursing home cases of COVID among residents and staff, further proof that the vaccine works and we’re doing our part to eliminate COVID!
While the vaccination plan in our state is well underway, we continue to take all necessary precautions, including wearing personal protective equipment and conducting regular testing, to ensure the safety of our residents and staff.
Visitation
As you know, the vaccine will not provide immediate protection and we still need to see prevalence in the surrounding communities decline. We continue to follow the existing guidance from CDC, CMS, and our state’s DPH for visitation and infection control practices. As soon as they adjust their guidance, based on vaccination rates in nursing homes, we will let you know.
Our current visitation status remains on hold as we have positive cases with both residents and staff members.
Remember we always offer visitations using our technology (iPads, tablets, calls, etc.) and when we can, window visits and outside visits. (We have increased the number of iPads and tablets available to our residents.) Hospice and Compassionate care visits continue to be available.
Thank you for the privilege of taking care of you or your loved one; it is an honor we do not take lightly and make every effort to provide you with the best care. Please reach out to me with any concern or if you would like to acknowledge a specific employee for the care you received.
I wish everyone a ‘sweet’ Valentine’s Day!
Donna