Thank you all for your continued cooperation, understanding, support and prayer. This virus is running rampant through our community and our staff continues to put forth incredible effort and diligence to keep everyone safe.
Over the past week, we have conducted 348 Point of Care (Rapid tests) at Saint John XXIII Home. All staff members were tested twice this week and all residents were tested on Wednesday. We currently have two staff members off work due to a positive test and two staff members who are off work due to possible exposure outside of the facility. All staff continues to wear N95 masks at all times to assist in mitigation of this virus. Staff testing revealed no resident exposures. However, we did have a resident within the nursing home test positive for COVID-19 this week through the POC Rapid testing devices. This resident has been moved to our designated “Red Zone” (Isolation). We have also requested a PCR Laboratory follow-up test for this individual to rule out a “False Positive” possibility. All residents across our entire campus remain symptom free of COVID-19. Please continue to pray for all of our residents and staff!
The COVID vaccination arrival is gaining steam. We are receiving updates from the PA DOH and CDC, on a daily basis. While no definitive dates have been established for our receipt of the vaccine at Saint John XXIII Home, we anticipate having a vaccine clinic for residents and staff before years end. The details of the vaccination process will become much clearer over the next few days. This is a rapidly moving process and we are devising a process internally to secure “Vaccine Consents”, notification process, etc. Now is the time that we ask everyone to evaluate their plan to vaccinate. Rest assured, that an update will be provided as soon as concrete information can be shared.
Due to the COVID positivity rate of Mercer County, we will continue testing staff twice weekly and residents once weekly. Please know that we are being extremely cautious and diligent related to PPE use, washing hands, restricting access and monitoring of staff and residents for signs, symptoms and possible exposures. Again, we thank you for your support and understanding through these unprecedented times. Be Safe!