With our rapid testing this am, we have identified a staff member that shows as positive. We will verify with a PCR test and the staff member has been sent home awaiting results or starting their quarantine. They exhibited no symptoms and were negative last week with their last test. This staff member works in the Pines. We started the contact tracing process in the Pines unit and will contact all residents and resident families who are potentially affected. This staff member had not been on the floor since last Thursday. This staff member only works in the Pines.
We continue to have no positives in the Pines, but will test residents again to ensure no outbreak. As a reminder, the Pines residents have been vaccinated, with all but 2 getting both shots on Feb 2nd. Based on CDC guidelines, they should have reached full inoculation as of today. Our hope is that the protection provided with the vaccine will hold them immune. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as with our staff member.
As reported yesterday, we have no new positives in the Meadows.
As reported yesterday, we have had no new positives in IL.
My takeaway from this positive test is to reinforce that we need to continue to be vigilant against this virus. The numbers are going down and the vaccine is becoming slightly more prevalent, but this is not the time to risk a short sighted response to our current circumstance. We will continue to do what we have been doing to work to keep those who are positive out of the building and I would ask you all to maintain your mask wearing, distancing and safe practices. Let’s get to the end of this together.