Update from Administrator – February 11, 2021
Dear Families,
As always, we hope this letter finds you safe and healthy.
Our current COVID status:
We have 2 new admitted residents with positive COVID in our COVID unit. We have two staff members on quarantine leave; they did not have direct contact with the residents in the facility.
Vaccination:
As you know by now, our staff and residents have completed two COVID-19 vaccination clinics, with the majority of our eligible staff and residents now having received at least one dose. The third and final clinic is scheduled to be administered on 2/23/2021to residents and staff who either are receiving their second and final dose or to those individuals who are receiving their first dose.
If your loved one is receiving their first dose at this clinic, we will work with you and them to schedule their second dose outside of our center, once the Federal Pharmacy Partners Program concludes. The Department of Public Health is actively working on developing further vaccine guidance which will include recommended options and strategies for vaccination.
With most nursing home residents having already received their first, and in many cases, second doses of the vaccine, the state has already reported a significant decrease in nursing home cases of COVID among residents and staff, further proof that the vaccine works and we’re doing our part to eliminate COVID!
While the vaccination plan in our state is well underway, we continue to take all necessary precautions, including wearing personal protective equipment and conducting regular testing, to ensure the safety of our residents and staff.
Visitation
We continue to receive many questions on whether in-center visitation can resume once vaccination of the center is complete. The vaccine will not provide immediate protection and we still need to see prevalence in the surrounding communities decline. Currently, community prevalence remains high. Therefore, we need to continue with the same visitation and infection control practices put in place and enhanced throughout this pandemic. We will also continue to follow the guidance and recommendations of our public health officials (CDC, CMS, DPH) to determine how and when to adjust our policies for visitations and social activities and keep you updated.
Our current visitation status is:
Following the DPH recent guidelines, we are starting limited number of visitations per day in the facility. These visitations of no more than 2 visitors per resident, could last up to 45 minutes per visit. Due to the DPH guideline, status of in-house visitation could change on daily basis pending on the number of COVID positive residents and they location in the facility. In order to schedule a visit, please contact our recreation department manager at recreation@worcesterrhcc.com and select one of the open slots for your visit time. Family members who scheduled to have a visitation, will receive a rapid COVID test at the facility’s entrance, and will pursue their scheduled visit if their test is negative.
Remember we always offer visitations using our technology (iPads, tablets, calls, etc.). To schedule virtual visitation please contact recreation manager through recreation@worcesterrhcc.com
Thank you and please stay safe and healthy!
Saeed Pourali, LNHA, Dr. B.A.
Administrator