October 28, 2020
As of this afternoon we have not received any positive results for staff and received 37 results for health center residents, all negative as well.
There are a few other items I’d like to provide updates and reminders about:
- We’re requesting all persons entering the Community building use a medical-grade mask. These are available at the screening desks. This was recommended by the Infection Prevention Specialist as best practice.
- A reminder that visitors to Independent Living residences who assist with personal care are still permitted, as are deliveries.
I’ve had a couple of requests that I explain what “full contact and droplet precautions” means.
Contact precautions means we are trying to protect against a bacteria or virus that can be transmitted to someone else if that person touches an infected individual or a contaminated surface near the infected individual. In the case of COVID19, contact precautions can protect both staff and residents by creating a barrier between staff and residents. Most often this refers to gloves and gowns.
Droplet precautions are used to prevent the spread of illness when there is an infection that can be spread to others by speaking, sneezing, or coughing. When droplet precautions are initiated, you will see the use of masks (and in some cases n95 masks which filter out even more particulates than regular medical masks) and sometimes eye protection.
-Laurie Mante