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Manor of the Plains reports employee tests positive for COVID-19

A non-direct resident care worker at Manor of the Plains who last worked on August 26, has tested positive for COVID-19.

The employee, who passed the pre-shift employee screening and wore personal protective equipment (PPE) as recommended, has not been on the schedule, but called in August 31 for a shift reporting signs and symptoms consistent with COVID-19. The employee was asked to get a rapid test, which we have learned is positive.

“We’re continuing to be vigilant in our efforts to protect our residents and employees,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s infection preventionist and vice president for health and wellness.

The community has conducted contact tracing to determine who meets the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for direct contact within 6 feet of the positive employee for 10 minutes or longer. Ten employees have been identified. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Epidemiology Hotline and Ford County Health Department have been notified. The health department recommends testing the potentially exposed employees Sept. 1.

Per the Ford County Health Department, the positive case will not affect the community’s timeline for reopening pending the results of the employee testing this week.

Manor of the Plains will continue to follow KDHE, Ford County Health Department, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and CDC guidelines to monitor residents in health care and other employees for any signs or symptoms of respiratory illness and signs of COVID-19.

Employees are encouraged to follow CDC guidelines and best practices as these are continually updated. The community regularly reinforces with all employees that an employee should not report to work if he or she is experiencing symptoms of a respiratory illness or is not feeling well.

The employee is recuperating at home. We follow CDC and KDHE guidelines in determining when an employee may return to work.  Under the current guidelines, the employee may return to work when at least 72 hours have passed since resolution of the employee’s fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and the employee’s symptoms have improved, and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

For more information about Manor of the Plains’ response, go to PMMA’s (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s) website, presbyterianmanors.org/media-room.

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