The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is now requiring all long-term care facility employees to be tested regularly for COVID-19 as of September 2, 2020.
The Mayflower Community has decided that this will be 100% of our staff of approximately 140 employees as any could have contact with staff who work directly in our Health Center. The testing site will be our “Estes House,” a converted Harwich Terrace patio home, which we have designated for COVID-19 care. Fortunately, the home has been vacant since the beginning of the pandemic.
Under the CMS rules, each employee must be tested at least once a month. It could be as often as twice a week. The frequency of testing is dependent on the local county’s COVID-19 test positivity rate. Local healthcare facilities are located in the currently-low positivity rate Poweshiek County and will, therefore, test once a month. The rate is recalculated every other week and could change immediately if the rate increases.
If there is a positive case with a resident or employee, “outbreak” testing must be initiated. This means the frequency must be increased.
Here is the guide to positivity rates and resulting testing frequency:
Low (less than 5%) = Once a Month for each employee
Medium (5% – 10%) = Once a Week
High (more than 10%) = Twice a week
At Mayflower, daily COVID-19 screening continues for residents and staff. This entails a daily register of individuals’ temperature along with a health assessment. If an employee or resident is symptomatic, the individual will be tested. Mayflower will continue to follow existing policies and procedures for daily screening, use of PPE (personal protective equipment), contact tracing, and Phase regression.
This darned COVID-19 monster….
Bob Mann, Sales & Marketing Director