Memo-COVID-19 Update-December 30, 2020
FROM: John Burns, President and CEO; Will Blackwell, Vice President Health Services; Debra Jacobsen, Administrator Residential Living; Sloan Verlander, Administrator Assisted Living
SUBJECT: COVID-19 Update
DATE: December 30, 2020
As 2020 comes to a close, we wish you a very happy New Year with hopeful wishes for better days in 2021! We sincerely thank every member of the Westminster Canterbury Richmond family for your support and perseverance throughout 2020.
COVID-19 Vaccination Updates
Please refer to Westminster Canterbury’s COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions. We will provide updates as we receive more details from CVS Health, our COVID-19 vaccine provider. You may also watch the Live Update from Tuesday, December 29, to hear more details from John Burns and Dr. Danny Felty, Medical Director for Mary Morton Parsons Health Center.
COVID-19 Cases
On Thursday, December 24, we learned that a resident of Parsons Health Center Third Floor tested positive for COVID-19 after experiencing symptoms. We also learned that a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) on Parsons Health Center Third Floor tested positive. On Tuesday, December 29, we learned that a Licensed Practical Nurse on Parsons Health Center First Floor tested positive. Today, Wednesday, December 30, we learned that a CNA from Parsons Health Center Second Floor tested positive. It is anticipated that these are isolated cases. Routine testing for Mary Morton Parsons Health Center residents and employees continues twice weekly per guidelines from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Eight employees are currently recovering in quarantine off campus after testing positive for COVID-19. Approximately 20-25 other staff are currently in quarantine due to experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19 or after being exposed to someone who has tested positive.
Visitation, Programs and Services
Westminster Canterbury follows the latest guidance from CMS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Virginia Department of Health (VDH) in our response to the pandemic. Visitation and many programs and services are currently suspended. Westminster Canterbury has no immediate plans to resume visitation due to new cases in our community and rising infection rates in the Richmond region. In January, we will safely resume some services.
• Salon Services for Independent Living will reopen Monday, January 4. Call ext. 6281 for an appointment. We hope to reopen the salon in Assisted Living in the coming weeks.
• Beginning on Monday, January 4, Transportation will be available for non-essential transportation appointments, like salon visits or trips to the bank. To schedule a ride, fill out a transportation request slip at the Tower or Center Desk, or leave a message for Ethan Wilburn at ext. 6263.
• The Fitness Center and Aquatic Center will reopen by appointment only on Monday, January 11. All appointments will be 30 minutes in length, available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Residents are allowed three appointment times per week. Beginning Monday, January 4, you may call ext. 6669 to schedule an appointment for the Fitness Center and ext. 6539 for an appointment at the Aquatic Center. Leave a message if there is no answer indicating a preferred day and time, and a Wellness staff member will call you back to confirm your appointment.
Follow the Core Principles of COVID-19 Infection Prevention
Please continue following these guidelines that help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Wear a mask at all times when around others. Wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitizer. Always maintain social distancing of at least six feet. Follow enhanced safety and disinfection recommendations from the CDC, CMS and VDH. Stay home if you do not feel well and contact your physician. In-person gatherings with individuals outside your household are discouraged at this time. Stay connected and celebrate by phone or in virtual ways. Thank you for all you do!
Ongoing Updates
• Stay up-to-date with us online. Check the COVID-19 Update page and blog at www.WCRICHMOND.org.
• Live Update videos air on our in-house TV970. Recordings are available later on www.WCRICHMOND.org, www.facebook.com/wcrichmond or on TV971 daily at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Our next Live Update is Tuesday, January 5, at 3 p.m.