Resident, employees test positive for COVID-19 at Manor of the Plains
An assisted living resident and two employees have tested positive for COVID-19 at Manor of the Plains.
The resident became symptomatic Tuesday and was administered a rapid point-of-care (POC) test. The resident, who had been in isolation as a precaution since last week, will be cared for by designated employees following CDC and KDHE infection control and prevention protocols and physician’s orders.
Assisted living and health care residents were tested for COVID-19 Tuesday due to possible exposure to COVID-19 last week when two assisted living residents tested positive for the virus. No other residents tested positive for the virus. Residents in assisted living have been in isolation as a precaution and indoor visitation has been suspended for residents in both assisted living and health care.
In addition, an essential health care worker who last worked on Friday, October 22, also tested positive for COVID-19 with a rapid POC test. The employee called in on Monday due to not feeling well. When symptoms worsened on Wednesday, October 27, the employee requested to be tested for COVID-19 and was positive.
A non-direct resident care employee also tested positive on Friday, October 29. The employee last worked Thursday, October 28, passed pre-shift screening and wore personal protective equipment as required. The employee began to feel unwell and left prior to the end of their shift. When symptoms continued to worsen, the employee sought COVID testing at a local clinic, where the result was positive.
The employee passed pre-shift screening and wore personal protective equipment as required during the last shift worked.
The Ford County Health Department has been notified and we will follow their guidance for testing and quarantining residents and staff. Visitation will remain suspended until two rounds of COVID-19 testing have been completed with no new cases identified.
We follow CDC and KDHE guidelines for when residents can end COVID-19 isolation. Under the current guidelines, symptomatic residents may end isolation when at least 72 hours have passed since resolution of their fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and their symptoms have improved and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. If asymptomatic, residents will quarantine for at least 10 days.
We also follow CDC and KDHE guidelines for when the employee may return to work. Under the current guidelines, symptomatic employees may return to work when at least 72 hours have passed since resolution of 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. Asymptomatic positive employees will quarantine for at least 10 days. Upon their return to work, we will follow CDC and KDHE recommendations related to work practices and restrictions.
PMMA continues to strongly encourage our families, employees and residents to carefully consider obtaining a vaccine for themselves as well as their loved ones. Every person who receives the vaccine will strengthen the protection for all residents, staff and the community at-large.
Employees and residents 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.
For more information about Manor of the Plains’ response, go to PMMA’s (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s) website, presbyterianmanors.org/media-room.
