Employee at Salina tests positive for COVID-19

A Salina Presbyterian Manor essential health care worker tested positive this week for COVID-19 during the campus’ routine employee surveillance testing for the virus. The employee is in isolation and quarantined at home.

“Our top priority continues to be the safety of our residents and staff members,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s vice president for health and wellness and infection preventionist. “Surveillance testing is just another tool in our toolbox to fight this virus.”

The employee last worked September 27 and passed the pre-shift screening. The employee has not been on the schedule and had a point-of-care test on September 29 that was negative. The individual then participated in the surveillance testing on October 5, and the positive result was received Wednesday morning.

All employees who had direct contact with the positive employee during their last shift worked tested negative for the virus in Monday’s surveillance testing. No residents are showing any signs or symptoms of COVID-19.

We notified the Saline County Health Department immediately after becoming aware of the positive test and will follow their direction for any additional steps needed. Families have been called to alert them to the positive case.

The employee will not be allowed to work until they meet Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Kansas Department of Health and Environment (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 Salina Presbyterian Manor’s response, go to PMMA’s (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s) website, presbyterianmanors.org/media-room.

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