Salina reports weekly COVID-19 test results
Two new cases of COVID-19 were detected at Salina Presbyterian Manor January 30.
One health care resident tested positive with a rapid point-of-care test January 30 as part of ongoing daily testing of residents most at-risk of exposure in the health care center. The resident, who is symptomatic, has been placed in COVID-19 isolation to be cared for by designated team members following CDC infection prevention and control protocols and physician’s orders.
An essential health care worker tested positive for COVID-19 with a rapid point-of-care (POC) test after reporting signs and symptoms to a supervisor while working. The employee was sent home to quarantine. The employee had passed pre-shift screening and wore personal protective equipment as required.
Test results from two rounds of employee surveillance testing February 1 and February 3 were negative for the virus. No new cases were identified among residents tested Monday, February 1. The next round of testing was conducted Monday, February 8.
“Our efforts to keep COVID-19 out of our building continue,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s vice president for health and wellness and infection preventionist. “The Saline County positivity rate has been dropping steadily, which means people are doing a good job of following the recommended prevention measures.”
We are in contact with the Saline County Health Department and will follow their recommendations. With the decrease in the county positivity rate, Salina Presbyterian Manor will test once a week.
Our focus remains on ensuring the well-being of our residents and employees. We continue to follow all guidance related to patient care, employee safety, and efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19, as provided by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We have notified the Saline County Health Department and KDHE and we will follow their recommendations. We are working closely with Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s infection preventionist and vice president for health and wellness, in implementing our Emergent Infectious Disease (EID) Outbreak Management Plan.
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.
As the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, it should play an instrumental role in eventually moving toward resuming our normal operations. Every person who receives the vaccine will strengthen the protection for all residents, staff and the community at-large. PMMA strongly encourages 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.
