Another Aberdeen Village employee tests COVID-19 positive

Aberdeen Village learned July 24 that a third non-direct resident care employee tested positive this week for COVID-19. The employee is in isolation and quarantined at home.

“Our top priority continues to be the safety of our residents and staff members,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s infection preventionist and vice president for health and wellness.

The employee last worked July 13 and passed the employee screening. The employee was next scheduled to work July 20 but did not work. The employee was tested for COVID-19 July 20 and reported a positive result to the community on Friday.

The Johnson County Health Department was notified of the positive test. Based on the length of time since the employee last worked, the health department does not recommend additional testing at this time.

Families, residents and employees have been notified the positive employee. The CDC has been notified of the positive test per CMS regulation.

The employee is recuperating at home. We follow CDC guidelines in determining when an employee may return to work.  Under the current CDC guidelines, the employee may return to work when at least 24 hours have passed since resolution of the employee’s fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and the employee’s symptoms have improved and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. Upon the employee’s return to work, we will follow CDC recommendations related to work practices and restrictions.

Aberdeen Village implemented a strict no visitor policy at the community and discontinued group activities and communal dining for the entire campus per guidelines released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the CDC on March 13.

All employees are encouraged to follow CDC guidelines and best practices as these are continually updated. We have been screening employees as they enter the community building for a shift and before employees have any direct contact with residents.  We educate all staff to stay at home if they are experiencing symptoms of a respiratory illness or not feeling well.

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

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