Memo: COVID-19 Update-May 13, 2020
FROM: John Burns, President and CEO
SUBJECT: Dining Employees Test Positive for COVID-19
DATE: May 13, 2020
On Tuesday, March 12, Westminster Canterbury Richmond learned that four additional employees tested positive for COVID-19. There is no risk of these four employees transmitting the virus to anyone at Westminster Canterbury.
All four employees work in our Dining department and are members of the same family. In early April, they requested an extended leave from work for family reasons. They have not been on campus for more than 20 days. None of them developed symptoms of COVID-19 until two weeks or more after the last time they were on campus. All of them are recovering in quarantine at home.
Unfortunately, eight or more people in their family have tested positive for COVID-19. One family member, who was not a Westminster Canterbury employee, passed away due to COVID-19. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
Pavilion Update
On Thursday, May 7, we reported that an Assisted Living employee tested positive for COVID-19. We tested all residents and staff who could have been exposed to this employee. Thirty-six staff and all 19 Pavilion residents tested negative for COVID-19. We await test results for two additional employees. We expect their results to be negative.
All Pavilion residents will remain in quarantine and continue to be assessed for signs and symptoms regularly until May 20, when they will be retested to ensure they are not infected.
Westminster Canterbury Richmond COVID-19 Response
Since March, Westminster Canterbury has had confirmed cases of COVID-19 in a total of two residents and nine employees. The two residents live in Independent Living, received treatment in the hospital and returned home to recover in Mary Morton Parsons Health Center. Both subsequently tested negative for COVID-19. Four employees tested positive for COVID-19 and have since recovered, tested negative for COVID-19 twice and returned to work. Two worked in Housekeeping, one in Security and one in Dining. The other five have tested positive since May 7 and are currently recovering at home.
Since the beginning of March, a Coronavirus Task Force comprised of staff from various departments, including an RN Infection Preventionist, met to review existing policies and procedures related to infectious diseases and to plan for other concerns. We follow the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and VDH. A Coronavirus Incident Command team meets at least six days a week and additionally as needed to address the latest changes and needs. All residents remain under self-quarantine measures. Every employee is screened with questions and a temperature check upon arrival to campus, prior to reporting to work. Since early April, all employees wear masks at all times to reduce the risk of asymptomatic spread of the virus. We are working diligently to keep our residents and employees healthy.
As we continue to investigate and respond, we will share updates.
- The latest news is always available on our blog at www.WCRICHMOND.org.
- Currently, we do live video updates on our in-house TV970 station on weekdays at 3 p.m. and other times as needed. The updates include the latest news from John Burns, information on services being provided to residents and family members, and wellness and pastoral care moments to lift our spirits.
- Recordings of the live video updates are available later on the blog at www.WCRICHMOND.org, at www.facebook.com/wcrichmond, or hourly on TV971 for those on campus.