The long-term care facility at South Peninsula Hospital has experienced its first case of Covid-19 in a resident. According to hospital spokesperson Derotha Ferraro, the case was discovered on Friday (Jan. 7), during routine testing following the resident’s recent trip away from the hospital campus.
Long Term Care Director Rachael Kincaid said in a prepared statement that it was “pretty remarkable we’ve made it this long without a resident case.” She said the facility’s Covid protocols and mitigation measures have been quite effective for nearly two years despite many elders not being able to wear a mask, and given how tight-knit the 20 residents and their caretakers are.
Kincaid said the resident who tested positive was isolated in a private room while the other residents and staff were tested. The 19 others living at the facility all tested negative, though she said six employees tested positive and are now off work in isolation. Another half-dozen are also in quarantine due to being a close contact. Kincaid said the positive test results among staff occurred in both vaccinated and unvaccinated employees.
Keeping residents isolated from the outside world has been an effective way to protect them from contracting the disease, but Kincaid said their social, emotional and mental well-being was important, too, and since the pandemic isn’t going away, guidelines were changed to allow residents to enjoy outings and visitors.
But now, Kincaid is asking folks not to visit the long term care facility until next week, and that all residents and staff will now be tested daily.
