Good afternoon everyone,
We have received new guidance from the State of California Department of Social Services regarding the critical role of testing for COVID-19.
This is an abbreviation of Provider Information Notice 20-23ASC:
Prevention, containment, and mitigation measures are essential to stop the spread of COVID-19. Testing is additional tool to intervene early in an outbreak, as well as to assist a licensee in developing an effective plan to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in their facility. Testing does not replace or preclude other infection prevention and control interventions, including monitoring all residents and staff for signs and symptoms of COVID-19, universal masking by staff and residents for source control, use of recommended personal protective equipment (PPE), and environmental cleaning and disinfection.
All new residents will require a COVID test prior to moving into the community. Residents may choose the provider for the test. We are now able to conduct tests with a PCR test utilizing a throat culture.,
We are also testing all new employees for COVID-19 prior to their start here at Park Terrace.
Residents out of the community for any reason will be tested upon return and again seven days after their return. We are asking resident upon return and taking the test to self-isolate until test results are received (typically three days) then, with a negative result, they may utilize the common areas of the community.
The same protocol will hold true for returning employees.
We have also begun testing 10% of the staff and we will continue to do so every fourteen days. The purpose of a surveillance testing strategy is to monitor the spread of the virus in order to isolate the virus and mitigate outbreaks.
Should we have someone test positive we will ask all resident to self-isolate and begin to test all residents and staff every fourteen days. This will continue until we have 2 fourteen-day periods with no positive results. At that time we will return to residents utilizing the common areas and test 10% of the staff every fourteen days.
We are continuing to utilize masks, wash hands frequently and practice social distancing. Meals will continue to be served to each apartment and they need to be consumed in the apartment. We will continue to deliver the mail and packages, wash and deliver everyone’s laundry as well as pick up the trash at this time.
We will continue to take everyone’s temperature and ask for symptoms each day. This includes all staff, essential worker’s, and residents. In addition, we are fogging all common areas periodically each day and disinfecting all surfaces. We are continuing to use our ultra-violet light box to sterilize electronic items and tools that cannot get wet.
Everyone’s safety is our priority and I appreciate your support in working with us.
Geno