Clay Center Presbyterian Manor Reports Four New COVID-19 Cases
After a tough week last week, Clay Center Presbyterian Manor detected four new cases of COVID-19 in testing at the community this week, and three residents who previously tested positive for the virus died.
“We are deeply saddened with the death of each and every resident,” said Morgan Burton, executive director. “The entire Clay Center Presbyterian Manor family is mourning their passing and will be keeping their families in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
The campus conducted two rounds of employee surveillance and a round of resident testing. Four employees tested positive. Three employees are essential health care workers and one is a non-direct resident care employee.
The employees will remain in isolation until cleared to work by the Health Department. We follow CDC and KDHE guidelines for when an employee or contractor may return to work. Under the current guidelines, symptomatic employees and contractors may return to work when at least 72 hours have passed since resolution of their fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and their symptoms have improved and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. Upon the employee or contractor’s return to work, we will follow CDC recommendations related to work practices and restrictions.
In addition, 1 assisted living resident has tested positive at the community. The resident is being cared for in COVID-19 isolation according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) infection prevention and infection control practices and physician’s orders.
We will follow CDC and KDHE guidelines for when the residents may come out of COVID-19 isolation. Under the current guidelines, symptomatic residents may come out of isolation when at least 72 hours have passed since resolution of the resident’s fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and the resident’s symptoms have improved and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. If asymptomatic, the residents will remain in COVID-19 isolation for at least 10 days.
The Clay County Health Department and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment have been notified, and we will follow any additional recommendations they provide. We will test residents throughout the building and employees again Monday, December 28. Surveillance testing will continue with a second round later in the week.
All employees and residents are encouraged 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 Clay Center Presbyterian Manor’s response, go to PMMA’s (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s) website, presbyterianmanors.org/media-room.
