Memo: COVID-19 Update-May 26, 2020
FROM: John Burns, President and CEO
SUBJECT: Housekeeping Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19
DATE: May 26, 2020
On Monday, May 25, Westminster Canterbury Richmond learned that a Housekeeping employee tested positive for COVID-19. The employee worked in the Mary Morton Parsons Health Center until Monday, May 18. On Wednesday, May 20, she began exhibiting symptoms and was tested and sent home. We received her test results yesterday. She is currently recovering at home. Please be reassured that we are taking all precautions in preventing the spread of COVID-19, including wearing proper personal protective equipment, handwashing and enhanced disinfection practices.
Baseline Testing
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued guidance for nursing homes that recommends testing residents and staff for COVID-19. While it is not required yet, Westminster Canterbury will be testing all Parsons Health Center residents in the next few days.
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. All Pavilion residents were quarantined and assessed for signs and symptoms regularly until May 20, when they were retested. All results came back negative. As of this morning, Pavilion residents are no longer under quarantine.
Westminster Canterbury Richmond COVID-19 Response
Since March, Westminster Canterbury has had confirmed cases of COVID-19 in a total of two residents and 11 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. Employees must test negative for COVID-19 twice with the tests administered at least 24 hours apart prior to returning to work. So far, nine of the 11 employees have recovered, tested negative twice and returned to work.
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 Virginia Department of Health (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 residents and employees healthy and beginning to take our first steps toward restarting, reengaging and reopening our campus.
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.