Memo-COVID-19 Update-October 1, 2020
FROM: John Burns, President and CEO; and Will Blackwell, Vice President Health Services
SUBJECT: COVID-19 Update
DATE: October 1, 2020
Mary Morton Parsons Health Center
Today Westminster Canterbury Richmond learned that a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) on Mary Morton Parsons Health Center First Floor tested positive for COVID-19. The employee is asymptomatic. Westminster Canterbury follows the latest guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). Because of this guidance, we have been testing Parsons Health Center employees weekly. The positive result came from routine testing.
Due to this exposure, residents of Parsons Health Center First Floor will be tested for COVID-19 and are under quarantine until Friday, October 16. If we receive additional positive results, this date may change. Unfortunately, this means that visitation is closed on Parsons Health Center First Floor during the quarantine.
No one may enter Parsons Health Center First Floor except for essential staff. If you are visiting other floors of Parsons Health Center, please access the elevators from the Lower Level. The entry to the First Floor is closed. You may not pass through to access the Tower First Floor and Marketplace.
CMS defines an outbreak as a new COVID-19 infection in any healthcare personnel or any nursing home-onset COVID-19 infection in a resident. We will continue to test Parsons Health Center employees weekly until we have no new cases for 14 days.
If you would like to schedule a FaceTime, Skype or Zoom with a Parsons Health Center First Floor resident, please contact Lori Capers at (804) 264-6217 or lcapers@wcrichmond.org.
We are grateful for your understanding as we respond to guidance from VDH and CMS and new cases in our community.
Visitation
Since Monday, September 28, Westminster Canterbury is open to family visitation in all other areas of living from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. Nearly all visitation will be during these hours unless prearranged with Westminster Canterbury. As circumstances change or positive cases of COVID-19 are confirmed, visitation guidelines in specific areas may change quickly. Please check www.WCRICHMOND.org for the latest information when planning your visit.
Follow the Core Principles of COVID-19 Infection Prevention
• 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.
• Everyone must be screened before entering our community. Visitors receive a wristband.
• Follow enhanced safety and disinfection protocols based on CDC, CMS and VDH recommendations.
• Stay home if you have any of these symptoms: fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or other new signs of illness. Visitors will not be permitted to enter if they have any signs or symptoms of COVID-19.
Westminster Canterbury Richmond COVID-19 Case Summary
We are committed to continued transparency about our COVID-19 response and cases in our residents and staff. Since March, Westminster Canterbury has had confirmed cases of COVID-19 in a total of 15 residents and 31 employees. All residents have recovered. So far, 27 of the 31 employees have recovered, tested negative twice and returned to work.
Ongoing Updates
• We encourage you to stay up-to-date with us online. Check the COVID-19 Update page at www.WCRICHMOND.org for what to expect when visiting our community and more.
• The latest news and past updates are always available on our blog at www.WCRICHMOND.org.
• Live Update videos air on our in-house TV970 station on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3 p.m. and other times as needed. 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.