Parsons PMMA weekly mass testing reveals no new COVID-19 cases

After a tough week, Parsons Presbyterian Manor received good news following their latest round of mass testing on August 28.

The community conducted 90 COVID-19 tests on Friday. All residents, employees, agency health care workers and therapists tested were negative for COVID-19. Per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, residents and employees who previously tested positive were not re-tested.

“We’re continuing the infection control and prevention measures we have in place, and we’ll continue to keep our focus on resident and employee safety,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s infection preventionist and vice president for health and wellness.

Because positive cases still exist in the building, a meeting is set with the Labette County Health Department on Monday to determine next steps. The health department has determined three of the five employees who previously tested positive are recovered. Upon the employees’ return to work, we will follow CDC recommendations related to work practices and restrictions.

The remaining residents and employees who previously tested positive for the virus will remain in isolation until cleared to come out of isolation by the Health Department. Per CDC and KDHE guidelines, residents and employees may come out of isolation once they have been symptom free for 72 hours without the aid of a fever reducer and demonstrate improvement in respiratory symptoms, and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.  

Presbyterian Manor implemented a strict no visitor policy at the community and discontinued group activities and communal dining for the entire campus per guidelines released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the CDC on March 13. The community had begun reopening in June, but these plans were placed on hold after the first positive test earlier this month.

All employees are encouraged to follow CDC guidelines and best practices as these are continually updated. The community regularly reinforces with all staff that an employee should not report to work if he or she is 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.