Employees at Emporia Presbyterian Manor tests positive for COVID-19

Four essential health care employees at Emporia Presbyterian Manor have tested positive for COVID-19.

“At this time, the safety of our residents and employees remains our highest priority,” said Susan Siepelmeier, executive director.

One of the employees tested positive on November 27, which was also their last day worked. The second employee tested positive on November 29 at an off-campus location after experiencing symptoms. They last worked on November 25. The third employee tested positive on Monday, November 30, via rapid point-of-care (POC) testing after experiencing symptoms. Their last day worked was November 23. The final employee last worked on November 26, testing positive yesterday, December 3, at an off-campus testing site.

We have notified the Flint Hills Community Health Department and will continue with bi-weekly testing at our campus.

We will follow CDC and KDHE guidelines for when an employee may return to work. Under the current guidelines, symptomatic employees may return to work when at least 72 hours have passed since resolution of 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. Asymptomatic positive employees will quarantine for at least 10 days. Upon their return to work, we will follow CDC recommendations related to work practices and restrictions.

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

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.