Yogi Berra, former player for the New York Yankees, infamously stated, “It’s like deja vu all over again.”
As I sit down to pen another COVID-19 update, I confess I feel the same way.
It never does any of us good to ignore the realities of what is going on around us. Unfortunately, the fact is that the latest variant has raised its head, and residents and staff are getting sick from the virus. As of Monday morning, we had four team members who had tested positive for COVID-19. We have resident cases on the Warwick Woodlands Campus, and on the Founders Campus in Manor Greene, and Garden Court Apartments. In addition, we have three positive cases in our skilled area and one in the Baer Center. We must tighten some of our procedures as bullet-pointed below:
- Staff must wear medical masks in all internal locations on the Founders Campus (unless isolated in an office).
- In addition, all residents visiting on the Founders Campus must wear medical masks. The mask directive is valid in all areas except for eating in the Garden Court dining room or participating in an activity (i.e., music group) in Steinman Hall.
- The café will remain open to Residential Living residents and staff for take-out only. Dining in the café is prohibited. If the weather permits, you are welcome to eat your lunch in one of our outdoor areas.
- Sunday Vesper services will be virtual until further notice.
- Residential Living activities will continue to the best of our ability. The more compliant we are with the directives, the more options our residents can enjoy.
I assure you that our team is as tired of this “dance” as any. Our goal is to keep our residents as safe as possible without going into a draconian shutdown. Here are a few statistics to keep in mind.
In Lancaster County, the case rate is up to 157 per 100,000. Our low was under 30 per 100,000 in March. Our % positivity is up to 14.22%. Our low was less than 2% in mid-March. I would add that the actual positive cases are likely understated due to the amount of home testing occurring.
I frequently get asked questions about the booster vaccine. The most important response is that “I am not a clinician.” However, with the cases rising, I ventured to the pharmacy on Friday afternoon to obtain my second booster shot. I used it as an excuse all weekend not to do any work around our home! We will be offering a booster shot clinic for Residential Living residents on Tuesday, May 31, 2022.
At this point, the hospital data is not showing a rapid increase. The hospital data generally lags a few weeks from a virus uptick. Hopefully, the hospital numbers will remain at a moderate level.
Thank you for your efforts to keep our community safe. Remember, to keep our community healthy in both our relationships and physical health; we must respect the most fragile among us. If you show any symptoms that you would typically attribute to an allergy or a cold, the best advice is to stay home!
As an elderly sage used to say to me, “this too shall pass.” While it is not passing at the speed that works for me, “this too shall pass.”