Second Aberdeen Village employee tests COVID-19 positive

A second Aberdeen Village non-direct resident care employee tested positive this week for COVID-19. The employee and five others were tested July 14 after another employee tested positive for the virus. The employee is in isolation and quarantined at home.

“Our top priority remains 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 6 and passed the employee screening. The employee called in sick on July 7, and was removed from the schedule. The other five employees tested negative for COVID-19.

The Johnson County Health Department was notified of the positive test. Based on the length of time the employee has been quarantined and the other five employees tested negative, 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 employees who tested positive must be COVID negative before returning to work. We follow CDC guidelines in determining when an employee may return to work. Under the CDC’s test-based strategy, the employee must have negative results from an FDA Emergency Use Authorized COVID-19 molecular assay for detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from at least 2 consecutive respiratory specimens collected at least 24 hours apart (total of two negative specimens).  Upon the employees’ 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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