Aberdeen Heights reports two employees test positive for COVID-19

In another round of COVID-19 testing for residents and employees of The Glen at Aberdeen Heights on July 7, two employees tested positive for the virus.

“We continue to keep the health and safety of our residents and employees as our top priority,” said Rick Cumberland, executive director.  

The senior living community tested 74 residents and 98 employees for COVID-19 on Tuesday, July 7. All 74 residents and 96 employees tested negative.

One employee last worked July 8 and passed employee screening. The employee is a non-essential, non-direct resident care employee. The second employee is an essential direct-resident care employee who last worked on July 8 and passed employee screening. Neither employee is showing signs or symptoms of COVID-19. Both employees were wearing personal protective equipment such as gloves, masks and gowns as required for their job responsibilities.

The St. Louis County Health Department has been notified and the community is conducting contact tracing to determine who each has been in contact within the community. Testing and quarantining will be completed in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and health department recommendations. Residents who were in direct contact with the positive employees will be placed in isolation pending COVID-19 testing results. All employees and residents of The Glen at Aberdeen Heights will be re-tested for COVID-19 next week.

All required federal, state, and local agencies have been notified, and we will follow any additional direction from the St. Louis Health Department.

The employees who tested positive will remain in isolation until cleared to return to work by the St. Louis County Health Department. Per CDC guidelines, team members may return to work once they have negative results from an FDA Emergency Use Authorized COVID-19 molecular assay for detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from at least 2 consecutive respiratory specimens collected at least 24 hours apart (total of two negative specimens).  Upon their 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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