Parsons Presbyterian Manor reports more positive COVID-19 tests

Parsons Presbyterian Manor’s battle against COVID-19 will continue after five additional cases of COVID were identified over the weekend.

The community tested 95 residents and employees on Sunday. Three residents and one employee tested positive in the community’s mass testing on Sunday. In addition, an employee who had not worked since August 6 also tested positive August 15 after previously receiving a negative COVID test result. The cases bring the community’s active case total to 8 residents and 5 employees.

“We will continue to focus on resident and employee safety,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s infection preventionist and vice president for health and wellness. “We will continue to monitor residents for signs and symptoms of respiratory illness and COVID-19 on every shift, and screen employees as they arrive for work before they have direct contact with residents.”

The new positive employee provides direct resident care. The employee last worked August 16 and passed the pre-shift screening. The employee wore personal protective equipment including gown, mask and gloves as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Two health care residents and one assisted living resident tested positive. The three residents have been moved to the COVID unit at the campus and will be be cared for by the COVID-19 Rapid Response Team. Team members are following doctor’s orders for treatment protocols and following CDC infection prevention protocols. We will follow CDC and Kansas Department of Health and Environment guidelines for when the residents may come out of isolation. Under the current guidelines, symptomatic residents may leave isolation when at least 72 hours have passed since resolution of the resident’s fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and the resident’s symptoms have improved and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. Asymptomatic positive residents will quarantine for 14 days.

Families were notified August 15 that an essential health care employee who last worked August 6 and passed the pre-shift screening, tested positive for the virus. After the August 6 shift, the employee began to experience signs and symptoms of COVID-19, and they called in for work on August 7. The employee was tested for COVID-19 on Saturday, August 8, and the test was negative. The employee was told to remain off work until symptoms resolved. When their symptoms did not get better through the week, another COVID-19 test was sought on August 14, and the campus was notified of the positive result August 15.

The Labette County Health Department and the KDHE Epidemiology Hotline have been notified of the additional positive tests. The health department recommends testing residents and employees again in 7 days. We will follow any additional guidance the agencies provide. Because of the number of positive cases, and another round of testing will be conducted in 7 days.

The COVID-positive employees are in quarantine and will not be allowed to work until they meet CDC and KDHE guidelines for when an 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 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. Asymptomatic positive employees will quarantine for 14 days. Upon the employee’s return to work, we will follow CDC recommendations related to work practices and restrictions.

We encourage all staff members to follow CDC guidelines and best practices as these are continually updated.  We have been screening employees as they enter the community building for a shift and before employees have any direct contact with residents.  We educate all staff to stay at home if they are experiencing symptoms of a respiratory illness or not feeling well.

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