Aberdeen Heights employee confirmed positive for COVID-19

While remaining vigilant in the face of COVID-19, Aberdeen Heights announces that a non-direct resident care employee has tested positive for COVID-19.

“Our top priority remains the safety of our residents and staff members,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, vice president for health and wellness and chief infection preventionist for PMMA (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America), Aberdeen Heights’ parent company.

The employee last worked Sunday, August 2, and passed employee screening at that time. After beginning to exhibit symptoms consistent with the virus, the employee sought a test August 5. Aberdeen Heights learned that the test came back positive. Contact tracing has been handled by the community, resulting in 2 employees being asked to quarantine at home, due to possibly being exposed to the employee who tested positive. Neither employee is showing signs or symptoms of COVID-19 at this time.

The St. Louis County Health Department will be relied upon for further direction related to this positive test at the community.

The employee who tested positive will remain in isolation until cleared to return to work. We follow CDC guidelines for when an employee may return to work. Under the current guidelines, symptomatic employees may return to work when at least 24 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.

Aberdeen Heights continues to screen all employees as they enter the community building for a shift and before they have any direct contact with residents.  In addition, staff members are wearing masks per CDC recommendations.

For more information about Aberdeen Heights’ response, go to PMMA’s (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s) website, presbyterianmanors.org/media-room.

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