Arkansas City PMMA residents, employees positive 12/21

Ten essential health care employees and nine health care residents at Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor have tested positive for COVID-19.

The employees last worked on December 22 and 30, passing pre-shift screening and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) as required.

We have notified the Cowley County Health Department and will follow their guidance for testing and quarantine. Per their guidance, visitation is suspended in health care and memory care for at least two weeks. In health care, all staff are to wear N-95 masks and gowns. This brings our total new cases since December 21 to twenty – twelve employees and 9 residents.

The COVID positive residents will recover in isolation and be cared for by designated staff. We will follow CDC and KDHE guidelines for when the resident may come out of isolation. Under the current guidelines, symptomatic residents may leave isolation when at least 72 hours have passed since resolution of the resident’s fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and the resident’s symptoms have improved and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. Asymptomatic positive residents will quarantine for at least 10 days. Designated staff members are following doctor’s orders for treatment protocols and following CDC infection prevention protocols.

We will follow CDC and KDHE guidelines for when the employees may return to work.

Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor follows CDC and KDHE guidelines for when employees may return to work. Under the current guidelines, symptomatic individuals may return to work when at least 72 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.

PMMA continues to strongly encourage all staff, residents and their families to receive the vaccine. Every person who receives the vaccine will strengthen the protection for all residents, staff and the community at-large.

All team members and residents are encouraged to follow CDC guidelines and best practices as these are continually updated. The community regularly reinforces with all staff that an individual should not report to work if he or she is experiencing symptoms of a respiratory illness or not feeling well.

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