Good Afternoon –
Please see the results from this week below. You will be notified if any tests return positive.
- RenVilla – 0 residents and 0 staff tested positive. Conducting surveillance testing only due to no new positives in over 5 weeks.
- Meadows on Main – 0 tenants and 0 staff tested positive. Conducting surveillance testing only due to no new positives in over 9 weeks.
- Prairie View – 0 tenants and 0 staff tested positive. Conducting surveillance testing only due to no new positives in over 7 weeks.
We continue to follow recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). As of today, the MDH is not recommending any changes to our visitation process.
MOM, PV, and RenVilla are conducting indoor visits. These visits must be prescheduled. For the safety of our residents and staff we ask that any visitors have a negative COVID test prior to their visit. If you would like to be tested during our routine testing, please reach out to: Deb Vizecky 320.329.4374 (RenVilla), Deb Wertish 320.329.4377 (MOM), Amy Klawitter 320.848.2093 (PV).
Since the start of the pandemic, 3,977 residents of Minnesota’s long term care facilities have died from COVID-19, accounting for 63% of the deaths from the virus statewide. However, last week, Minnesota recorded an average of just 64 new coronavirus cases per day in long-term care settings; the lowest the state has experienced since September! On Tuesday, MDH released more data showing that overall trends are improving, and not just in senior services communities. The state’s positivity rate of testing has fallen to 4%, the lowest rate since June! The rate had peaked at 15.5% in November amid an upsurge in cases.
The drop in new cases is a hopeful sign that the vaccines are starting to provide the protection we need and the infection control protocols put in place are working. Our staff continue to find creative ways to ensure social distancing does not stop social interaction. This week we plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day by various activities per building. Please stay tuned on Facebook to see pictures and updates of events. Please remember with any holiday, we see an increase in virtual visits and indoor visits. Please schedule your visit by Friday with Deb Vizecky 320.329.4374 (RenVilla), Deb Wertish 320.329.4377 (MOM), Amy Klawitter 320.848.2093 (PV).
This week, the Minnesota Association for Geriatrics Inspired Clinicians (MAGIC) launched a new video resource to help providers in our community to address hesitations and misinformation related to the COVID vaccine. MAGIC COVID Vaccination Video was developed to provide accurate and up to date information and dispel myths regarding the vaccine. The goal is to increase vaccination rates, specifically among frontline health care workers, by providing meaningful information from a trusted source that allows them to make an educated decision. Our buildings have all completed the 2nd vaccination clinic. The 3rd clinic will be in early March.
We continue to work with Cami Peterson-DeVries, AGNP on our infection control practices, policies, and emergency management. If you have any questions on this, she can be reached at CPeterson-DeVries@sfhs.org or 320.287.0313.
Thank you