Salina residents test positive for COVID-19

Three residents have tested positive for COVID-19 this week at Salina Presbyterian Manor.

“With the transmission rate still considered high in Saline County, we continue our efforts to protect the health and safety of our residents and our staff,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s vice president for health and wellness and infection preventionist. “It is important that everyone take precautions to slow the spread of COVID-19 by following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

Outbreak testing continues at our campus following a possible exposure to COVID-19 in the health care center September 10. During outbreak testing Monday, two health care residents tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Another resident tested positive on Wednesday.

The residents are being cared for in isolation by designated employees who are following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kansas Department of Health and Environment infection prevention and control protocols and physician’s orders.

In addition to the outbreak testing, two rounds of employee surveillance testing were completed this week, and all employee tests were negative for the virus.

Visitation has been suspended in the health care center as a precaution. Indoor and outdoor visitation will continue for assisted living, memory care and independent living residents.

Salina Presbyterian Manor will follow health department guidance. Employee surveillance testing will continue twice a week in compliance with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requirements for testing based on county positivity rates.

We will follow CDC and KDHE guidelines for when the residents may leave isolation. Under the current guidelines, symptomatic individuals may leave isolation when at least 72 hours have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and their symptoms have improved and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. Asymptomatic positive residents will quarantine for at least 10 days.

We encourage all staff members and residents 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.

Every person who receives the vaccine will strengthen the protection for all residents, staff and the community at-large. PMMA continues to strongly encourage our families, employees and residents to carefully consider obtaining a vaccine for themselves as well as their loved ones.

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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