November 19, 2020 — Please see an update below from Mike Youmans, our Health Services Administrator, regarding a health center employee who has tested positive for COVID 19. We are not making any changes to our Independent Living plan at this time – as you’ll read below, the employee has not worked since 11/8 and began experiencing symptoms on 11/12. While we feel there is very low risk to health center residents or staff, we of course are following all regulatory protocols, which unfortunately includes closing visitation for Taughannock House (Cayuga, Seneca and Owasco neighborhoods) for two weeks. As this is unfolding, we may receive additional guidance from DOH throughout the day today and will communicate again if necessary.
“Good morning,
Unfortunately these updates are all too familiar. Last night we were notified that an employee from the nursing department tested positive for COVID-19. While this news is disheartening, we do feel that the exposure risk was very minimal. The employee has not worked since November 8th and has been at home quarantining due to an exposure from a person living in their house. We have not identified any close contact with employees or residents at this time.
We have been advised that Owasco Neighborhood needs to go under droplet and contact precautions. At this time Seneca, Cayuga, and Cascadilla House are not required to change precautions. We anticipate the precautions will be in place on Owasco through November 23rd but are awaiting confirmation from the Department of Health.
Visitation for all Taughannock House (Cayuga, Seneca, and Owasco) must be suspended 14-days from the test results per NYSDOH guidelines. This would tentatively postpone Taughannock House visitation until December 3rd, pending no further positives. All residents in Taughannock House will be tested for COVID-19 although we are still unclear how long that will be required at this time.
All visitation for Cascadilla House residents is temporarily suspended until our visitation plan is updated and approved by the Department of Health. I hope to have more information on that shortly.
At this time, we are still permitting window visits. They can be scheduled through Maria Giampaolo in Activities, 266-5319.
We will provide more information later in the day as we are awaiting some guidance from the NYSDOH.
Thank you,
Mike”