Dear Sunrise residents, family and friends,
This letter is to report on COVID positive staff and residents.
In surveillance testing yesterday 3 additional staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. These staff members were all working in the neighborhood that had reported positive residents last Friday and Saturday. This brings the active COVID positive staff members to nine. All nine are isolating at home. Since April 20, a total of 27 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19.
There are currently two residents who have tested positive for COVID-19. These residents are quarantined to our COVID specific hot zone with dedicated staffing. We will continue to test residents as testing supplies are available or if there are any suspicions of illness.
Staff continue monitoring residents for any signs or symptoms of illness on each shift (3 times per day). We are in Phase I for operations in the Nursing Facility and will not have activities or communal dining in this area until we can be sure that the virus has not spread (this is monitored through testing). We are also NOT allowing any visits at this time – even window visits. Our staff are very busy with increased responsibilities for infection control and resident monitoring and are unable to assist at this time with window visits. We will inform you when we are able to start having visits again.
Our staff screen for exposure, symptoms and temperature at the beginning and end of each shift and wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) throughout their shift. This has been our policy for months now and will continue to be the policy indefinitely. Our staff members are also testing regularly as part of our surveillance program.
We are working closely with our local public health department, the Iowa Department of Public Health, and our medical director and following their recommendations. We are notifying our constituents and all regulatory bodies necessary to keep them informed about this current situation as required.
We appreciate the support that each of you have shown over the past six months and ask for your prayers and understanding as we work through this. I will continue to keep you informed as we work through this situation and look toward the future.
Sincerely,
Hallie Salmen, CEO