May 27, 2020
TO: SEACREST RESIDENTS, FAMILY MEMBERS, AND ASSOCIATES
RE: New Positive Employee Case of COVID-19
Good afternoon Seacrest Family,
Today we need to inform you that a second employee who works in our skilled nursing community has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. This employee is now home and in quarantine. Subsequently, an additional employee in the skilled nursing community has been sent home to quarantine after being closely exposed to the employee who tested positive. We have begun contact tracing as well as additional testing of any employees who may have come in contact with the employee who tested positive. As we stated in our last letter, we have already tested all residents and employees in the nursing home. Of the 48 residents tested last week, we have negative results back for 47 and are awaiting the remaining one. Of the 139 employees who were tested, we have results from 90, and all are negative except for the one positive. Results are coming in gradually from the county. As additional results are received, we will share any pertinent information. Containment of the virus is critical and our number one priority. As of this moment, there are no known cases among our residents.
As previously stated, we are currently following the “Criteria for Return to Work for Health Care Personnel with Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19” guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Please know that we have followed, and will continue to do so, all guidance set forth for privacy, patient care, employee safety, and efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 as provided by the California Department of Health (DOH) and the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). We remain in constant contact with DOH and CMS. As you know, Seacrest has its own stringent protocols, and we are adamant about being risk averse when it comes to our residents and staff. This additional positive test result of one of our employees reminds us that we are not in any way free of the need to continue our strict practices. On that note, I will share with you that until all tests results are back, we must postpone the family visits we had begun.
We remind and encourage family members to communicate regularly through email, FaceTime, Skype, Zoom and traditional phone calls. Please know that sessions scheduled with the assistance of our staff will be on hold until all employee test results are returned.
You will hear more from us as information becomes available. Please trust that we are doing our best and we appreciate your ongoing support.
Sincerely,
Pam Ferris
President and CEO
The Melvin Garb Foundation Presidential Chair