Employee at Emporia Presbyterian Manor tests positive for COVID-19

An Emporia Presbyterian Manor employee tested positive today for COVID-19. The employee, a direct care employee in health care, is in isolation and quarantining at home.

“The virus continues to impact our area and the safety of our residents and staff members remains our top priority,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s infection preventionist and vice president for health and wellness.”

The employee last worked on Sunday, August 16. In the days following, they began to notice symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and sought testing. The positive result came back earlier today.

We have been in contact with Lyon County Public Health and will follow their guidance. Per their direction, we will be testing all residents who reside in the area where the employee last worked, as well as 13 employees who work in that area.  

The employee is recuperating at home. We follow CDC and KDHE guidelines in determining when an employee may return to work. Under the current CDC and KDHE guidelines, the employee may return to work when at least 72 hours have passed since resolution of the employee’s fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and the employee’s symptoms have improved and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. Upon the employee’s return to work, we will follow CDC recommendations related to work practices and restrictions.

Presbyterian Manor will follow any additional guidance from Flint Hills Community Health Department, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment epidemiology hotline and the CDC.

Presbyterian Manor implemented a strict no visitor policy at the community and discontinued group activities and communal dining for the entire campus per guidelines released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the CDC on March 13.

All employees are encouraged to follow CDC guidelines and best practices as these are continually updated. The community regularly reinforces with all staff that an employee should not report to work if he or she is experiencing symptoms of a respiratory illness or not feeling well.

For more information about Emporia Presbyterian Manor’s response, go to PMMA’s (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s) website, presbyterianmanors.org/media-room.