Two Clay Center Presbyterian Manor employees test positive for COVID-19
An essential health care worker and a non-direct resident care employee at Clay Center Presbyterian Manor have tested positive for COVID-19.
These cases of COVID-19 were detected during Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) mandated surveillance testing of our employees. Surveillance testing requires all employees, agency employees, volunteers, hospice, lab and therapy providers at our campus to be tested on a frequency determined by our county’s COVID-19 testing positivity rate. Based on the county positivity rate for COVID-19 tests, Clay Center Presbyterian Manor is surveillance testing twice a week.
“We remain vigilant in our efforts to keep residents and employees safe and healthy at our community,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s infection preventionist and vice president for health and wellness.
The campus tested 59 employees and 3 therapists on Monday, November 9. Two employees tested positive for COVID-19, and 57 tests were negative. Two of the three therapists have tested negative, and one test is pending. If that test is positive, we will let you know. Results for a second round of employee tests conducted Wednesday, November 11, are pending.
The first employee, who works in health care, last worked Sunday, November 8. The employee passed pre-shift screening and wore personal protective equipment (PPE) as required. The second employee does not provide direct resident care. The employee, who passed the pre-shift screening, last worked November 5 and wore PPE.
Contact tracing is underway to determine who may have been in direct contact with the two employees. Four residents in health care are in isolation due to possible exposure to the essential health care worker.
The Clay County Health Department has recommended testing all health care residents and monitoring all residents for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Employee surveillance testing will continue, based on the county positivity rate.
Families, residents and employees have been notified regarding the positive employees.
Due to these positive cases and the rapidly rising county positivity rate, outdoor visits are suspended 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.
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.
All employees 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.
