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Emporia Presbyterian Manor employee tests COVID-19 positive

An Emporia Presbyterian Manor non-direct resident care employee tested positive this week for COVID-19. The employee is in isolation and quarantined at home.

“Our top priority is the safety of our residents and staff members,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s infection preventionist and vice president for health and wellness, “We were notified by the Lyon County Health Department on Friday that an employee has tested positive for COVID-19.”

The employee is not involved in providing direct care to our residents and we have verified that this employee had no direct contact with residents that meets the Lyon County Health Department’s criteria—closer than 6 feet for more than 10 minutes—going back 3 days pre-onset of symptoms.

The employee last worked on June 2, and wore a mask and gloves as recommended by the CDC. On June 3, the employee reported for work, but was sent home before their shift because they did not pass the employee screening. The employee was tested for COVID-19 and the positive results were received on June 5.

The CDC defines exposure has being within 6 feet of another person while he or she is symptomatic for 10 minutes or longer. At the direction of the Lyon County Health Department, employees who had prolonged direct contact with the infected employee will quarantine for 14 days and monitor for symptoms of COVID-19.

The employee who tested positive will recuperate at home and return to work once they are COVID-19 free. Per CDC guidelines, the employee must have negative results from an FDA Emergency Use Authorized COVID-19 molecular assay for detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from at least 2 consecutive respiratory specimens collected at least 24 hours apart (total of two negative specimens). Upon their return to work, we will follow CDC recommendations related to work practices and restrictions.

Families and residents have been notified of this case. All federal, state and local agencies have been notified. Presbyterian Manor will follow any additional guidance from the Lyon County Health Department 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.

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