Aberdeen Heights reports another COVID-19 positive employee

With the average positivity rate for COVID-19 cases in St. Louis County hovering around 8 percent, Aberdeen Heights once again reports a non-direct resident care employee has tested positive for the virus. This brings the senior living community’s 7-day total to 2 employees who have tested positive for COVID-19.

“We remain vigilant against the virus, placing the health and safety of our residents and employees at the top of our priorities,” said Rick Cumberland, executive director.

The employee last worked Friday, August 21 and passed the employee pre-shift screening. Following the shift, the employee began to experience signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and sought testing on Monday, August. 24. The employee notified the community of the positive test late on Tuesday, August 25.

Aberdeen Heights is conducting contact tracing to determine who meets the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidelines for close contact exposure – within 6 feet for 10 minutes or longer. Residents and employees who meet the criteria will be asked to self-quarantine and be tested for COVID-19.

The St. Louis County Health Department previously recommended testing all employees of The Glen at Aberdeen Heights as well as residents in memory care and the health care center following an exposure in that area of the campus reported Sunday, August 23. Testing will be conducted this week, and the employees and residents affected by this new exposure will be tested at the same time.

The campus has suspended outdoor visits, group dining and group activities allowed during Missouri’s phase 1 of reopening senior living communities pending the test results.

All employees who test positive will remain in isolation until cleared to return to work by the St. Louis County Health Department. Under the current CDC 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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