Aberdeen Heights reports Feb COVID-19 test results

After a month with no new cases of COVID-19 identified on campus, Aberdeen Heights reports that one essential health care employee tested positive for the virus during surveillance testing February 8.

The community conducted two rounds of employee surveillance testing this week, which revealed one new case. The employee last worked February 10, passed pre-shift screening and wore personal protective equipment as required. When the results were received, the employee was immediately notified and sent home to quarantine. Through contact tracing, no employees or residents were determined to be close contacts of the positive employee.

We have contacted the St. Louis County Health Department and will follow any direction they provide.  Surveillance testing will continue Monday, February 15. The community will test employees twice next week. If rates continue to decline, the community will be able to test employees once a week by the end of February.

The employee will quarantine at home until cleared to return to work. We will follow CDC guidelines for when an employee or contractor may return to work. Under the current guidelines, symptomatic individuals may return to work when at least 24 hours have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and their symptoms have improved and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. Asymptomatic positive employees and contractors will quarantine for at least 10 days. 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.  Residents will continue to be monitored for signs and symptoms of the virus. Employees and residents are encouraged to follow CDC guidance for preventing and containing the spread of COVID-19.

As the vaccine rolls out, it should play an instrumental role in eventually moving toward resuming our normal operations. We anticipate CMS will loosen restrictions on visitation once vaccination coverage is at a high enough level to protect residents and staff. Every person who receives the vaccine will strengthen the protection for all residents, staff and the community at-large. PMMA strongly encourages our families, employees and residents to carefully consider obtaining a vaccine for themselves as well as their loved ones.

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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