Clay Center Presbyterian Manor reports COVID-positive employee

After two rounds of employee surveillance testing and one round of resident testing, Clay Center Presbyterian Manor detected only one new case of COVID-19 last week.

“As cases continue to be high in Clay County and the surrounding area, the team at Clay Center Presbyterian Manor continues to be vigilant in their efforts to contain the COVID-19 virus,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s infection preventionist and vice president for health and wellness.

The campus tested 99 residents and employees on Monday, November 30, and all residents tested negative for the virus. Residents will be tested again Monday, December 7. One non-direct resident care employee tested positive for the virus. A second round of employee surveillance testing on Wednesday, December 2, did not reveal any additional cases among staff.

The employee last worked December 1. The employee passed pre-shift screening and wore personal protective equipment as required. The employee will quarantine and recover at home.

Clay Center Presbyterian Manor will follow CDC and 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.

The Clay County Health Department and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment have been notified. We will follow their recommendations.

Outdoor visits and communal dining and group activities are on hold. Residents are encouraged to wear a face mask or cloth covering, maintain social distancing and wash their hands frequently.

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.

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.

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