A Resident and employees test positive for COVID-19

Three employees have tested positive for COVID-19 at Emporia Presbyterian Manor.

“The safety of our residents and employees remains our highest priority,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s infection preventionist and vice president for health and wellness.

The two essential health care workers and a non-direct care staff member have tested positive for COVID-19 in the first round of our twice weekly surveillance testing.

The employees passed pre-shift screening and wore personal protective equipment (PPE) as required when last at work. The non-direct care employee and one of the essential health care employees last worked yesterday, November 10. The second essential health care employee last worked on November 1

In addition, one resident was confirmed positive for COVID-19 after testing positive via rapid point-of-care testing on November 9. That test was confirmed Tuesday when we received the results of surveillance and outbreak testing at our campus.

One additional essential health care worker, who reported signs or symptoms of COVID-19, tested positive for COVID-19 in rapid point-of-care testing over the weekend. The employee last worked Friday, November 6, passing pre-shift screening and wearing PPE as required. This brings our total number of positive cases to 2 residents and 7 employees since November 1.

The Flint Hills Community Health Department has been notified and we will conduct contact tracing to check for exposure. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment defines exposure as being within 6 feet of another person while he or she is symptomatic for 10 minutes or longer.

The COVID positive resident will recover in isolation and be cared for by designated staff. We will follow CDC guidelines for when the resident may come out of isolation. Under the current guidelines, symptomatic residents may leave isolation when at least 72 hours have passed since resolution of the resident’s fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and the resident’s symptoms have improved and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. Asymptomatic positive residents will quarantine for 14 days. Designated staff members are following doctor’s orders for treatment protocols and following CDC infection prevention protocols.

We will follow CDC guidelines for when an employee or contractor may return to work. Under the current guidelines, symptomatic employees or contractors 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 or contractors will quarantine for 14 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 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.