Essential health care worker positive for COVID at Arkansas City PMMA

One new case of COVID-19 was detected at Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor this week.

“COVID-19 transmission remains high in the Cowley County area, and we encourage everyone to take precautions to avoid spreading the virus. At Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor, we continue our efforts to protect the health and safety of our residents and employees,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s) vice president for health and wellness and infection preventionist.

The essential health care employee last worked Friday, September 10, passing pre-shift screening and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) while at work. The employee tested negative for COVID-19 during surveillance testing September 9 and September 14.

Employee surveillance testing will continue next week as required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The Cowley County Health Department has been notified and the community will follow their direction. Due to the high county positivity rate, the health department recommends continuing to suspending indoor visitation for all residents as a precaution. Outdoor visits will continue.

We will follow CDC and KDHE guidelines for when an employee or contractor 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.