Emporia PMMA Resident, Employee Tests Negative for COVID-19

Emporia Presbyterian Manor received good news after a second wave of testing for COVID-19 at the community on June 12. All resident tests and all remaining employees tested negative for COVID-19.

“Our team has worked very hard throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to keep our residents healthy and safe,” said Susan Siepelmeier executive director. “Our residents are always at the heart of everything we do. I am so proud of this team’s hard work every day, and especially over the past three months.”

Because all residents and remaining employees tested negative for the virus, the Flint Hills Community Health Center is not recommending further testing at the community at this time.

The two employees who tested positive for the virus in the past two weeks will remain in isolation until cleared to return to work by the Flint Hills Community Health Center. Per CDC guidelines, team members may return to work once they have been symptom free for 72 hours without the aid of a fever reducer and demonstrate improvement in respiratory symptoms, and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. Upon their return to work, we will follow CDC recommendations related to work practices and restrictions.

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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