information from Providence Mt. St. Vincent

On March 30, we reported a single confirmed case of COVID-19 at Providence Mount St. Vincent. Thanks to Providence ExpressCare, we recently conducted rapid-testing of our entire community of caregivers, residents, patients and active volunteers for COVID-19. Through previous onsite testing and the additional rapid testing, we have confirmed a total of 15 of our residents/patients and 10 of our caregivers have tested positive for COVID-19. All residents/patients who tested positive have been cohorted together in a separate area of the building with dedicated staff providing care. The caregivers who tested positive are quarantined at home. The Intergenerational Learning Center (ILC) continues to operate safely to support our caregivers and the community. None of the teachers nor caregiver parents tested positive.

The safety and well-being of our residents, patients, their families and our caregivers remains our top priority, especially during this time. We are committed to stopping the spread of this infectious disease. Our highly-trained caregivers are following all of our heightened infection control protocols, including the use of appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE), in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines, while providing our residents/patients expert and compassionate care.

Out of an abundance of caution, and to ensure accurate testing, we will conduct a second round of rapid testing next week for our entire community.

“Knowledge is power at a time like this,” said Charlene Boyd, Providence Mount St. Vincent Administrator. “A second round of testing will confirm an accurate count of cases at The Mount. It will also inform us of any additional spread of the virus by people not showing any symptoms. That information is critical and will enable our most fervent and directed response possible.”

We know how quickly this virus can spread. We continue daily monitoring of all residents, patients and caregivers for any signs of illness, especially a fever or cough. We are closed to visitors with the exception of end-of-life visits which are accommodated on a person-by-person basis, and we screen everyone that enters the building. In addition to our heightened disinfecting and cleaning procedures, we are wiping down high touch areas several times throughout the day.

We are working closely with state and local health authorities, as well as the CDC, to ensure we continue delivering safe, high quality care to all of our residents and patients. We have notified the families of all of our residents and patients, and the ILC families, about the situation and are sharing updates with the community as needed.

Every resident and patient at The Mount was tested. Providence ExpressCare deployed new, rapid testing made available by Abbott Labs. Residents, patients and caregivers received their results in under 15 minutes, helping to reduce anxiety and provide peace of mind.