Live Update to Residents-February 9, 2021
Today’s Live Update on our in-house TV970 was followed by the Annual Residents Association Meeting. The next Live Update will be Thursday, February 11.
The following updates were shared.
John Burns
Today’s special Live Update included the Annual Residents Association Meeting.
COVID-19 Updates
On Sunday, the last resident who was being cared for in the COVID-19 positive unit was considered recovered and returned to Parsons Health Center. The COVID-19 positive unit is closed again!
Over the weekend, a Dining employee tested positive for COVID-19 during routine weekly testing. Due to this case, Avalon Second Floor is in quarantine until Friday, February 19. This will not affect the vaccination clinic for Assisted Living on February 15-16. Two employees continue to recover at home in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19.
Vaccination Updates
Westminster Canterbury Richmond has high percentages of residents and employees who are vaccinated! Some residents and employees will receive their second COVID-19 vaccine doses in the upcoming vaccination clinics on February 15-16 for Assisted Living and February 24-25 for Independent Living. The percentages of those who have received the vaccine so far are 72% of employees, 98% of Assisted Living and Mary Morton Parsons Health Center residents and 99% of Independent Living residents. Thank you to everyone who took part in our clinics so far and helped the process to go smoothly.
Residents Vaccinated Outside of Westminster Canterbury
If you receive COVID-19 vaccination outside of Westminster Canterbury, at a provider such as VCU, the Veterans Health Administration (VA) or another medical practice, the Clinic will add this information to your medical record. After you receive your second dose, please bring your vaccine documentation to the Clinic so it can be entered.
Please remember that our current protocols and restrictions are still in place. Per the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), while the COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to decrease the incidence of symptomatic disease, their effects on transmission and asymptomatic infection are less clear. The CDC is working to better understand the effect of the vaccines on preventing infection and transmission before modifying recommendations for infection prevention and control. It is still possible to test positive for COVID-19, even after being vaccinated.
We are hopeful that studies will show that vaccinated people are less likely to transmit coronavirus. There are some encouraging results coming back from some of the studies. In the meantime, until we receive new guidance, we will continue to follow all existing recommendations regarding visitation, testing, use of personal protective equipment and quarantine.
We are eager to reopen and restart many of our programs, but we will continue with an abundance of caution and careful planning. For now we do not have a timeline for when reopening and restarting will begin, but we are working behind the scenes and will share updates as soon as we have them.
Please continue wearing your mask around others. Wash your hands frequently. Maintain social distancing of six feet. Stay home if you do not feel well and call your physician or the Clinic.
Employee Christmas Fund
The Employee Christmas Fund Committee will place Valentine’s Day cards for employees in the Tower and Center lobbies for residents to sign from Wednesday morning through Thursday night. These will be displayed for employees later this week.
The Annual Residents Association Meeting followed.