We want to inform you that we have completed the initial round of testing in the nursing home after having a staff person there test positive. The resident in the nursing home who tested positive after that is doing well. They never showed any signs/symptoms of the Coronavirus and has been released from the precautions that were in place as we monitored them closely. No other residents have tested positive or are currently showing any signs or symptoms. We are continuing to monitor all the residents in the nursing home with twice daily health screenings and vital checks and all the residents in assisted living and memory care with daily health screenings and vital checks.
We have had two additional staff test positive due to the ongoing testing we are doing. We have also had two other staff test positive from other testing done unrelated to our Dow Rummel testing. We immediately did our internal tracing, identifying and notify anyone who might have had close contact (within 6’ for 15 minutes or more) with those staff members. Additional weekly testing is being done for all of them.
CMS is now requiring additional testing for all staff associated with the nursing home which we will begin next Thursday. We will start with weekly testing but will likely move to twice a week testing very shortly based on our counties positivity rate. I know the amount of testing we are doing seems overwhelming but unfortunately these are new regulations that we must follow just like all the other regulations required of us as a licensed long-term care facility. The good news is that we are being told that vaccines could be available for our staff and residents as early as November. We will keep you informed as we learn more.
South Dakota and Minnehaha County continue to have a high number of positive cases. In fact, SD is the top hot spot in the nation this week. We have been told that with the amount of testing we are doing we should expect to have some positive cases with each round of testing. So, we know our numbers are likely to increase in the future. We will continue to keep you informed of our COVID status.
We are asking ALL residents to wear a mask when they come out of their apartment and keep on at all times when moving about our campus except when eating or when in the pool.
We also encourage family members to keep yourselves safe by wearing a mask whenever you leave your home.
Stay SAFE! Stay WELL!