December 10, 2021
Dear Families and Friends,
After a “no additional positives” result from facility-wide testing on 12/6, yesterday’s (12/9) test results have detected an additional two COVID-19 positive residents and two additional positive staff members.
To put the relative severity of the current COVID-19 spike into focus, consider that, five months ago, on July 10, Vermont reported ZERO new COVID-19 infections and averaged five per day in the seven days prior. On December 9, yesterday, Vermont recorded 486 new cases and averaged 455 per day over the past seven days. We are seeing significant spread among vaccinated individuals.
All positive staff are quarantining at home; all positive residents are on isolation-precautions and are being treated with monoclonal antibody immunotherapy treatment. The families of positive residents are being updated regularly and all residents are responding well to the immunotherapy (one of our first COVID positive residents tested negative in yesterday’s results).
Please understand that we are hyper-aware of how quarantine (for those thought to be exposed) and isolation (for positive residents), while necessary, may negatively impact our residents’ mental and physical well-being. Know that we are doing everything in our power to keep quarantined and isolated residents informed and engaged in daily life as much as possible and to the best of our abilities.
Having said that, and knowing well that we have entered the Holiday season, we are strongly urging that any non-essential facility visits be postponed until after this crisis has passed. FaceTime, Zoom, window and telephone visits will be prioritized and facilitated whenever possible. The facts as we know them are plain: visitors, regardless of their vaccination status, increase the likelihood of further viral exposure and transmission to residents, staff, and the visitors themselves. Further, our community spread affects our facility exposure, so please get tested, get vaccinated, and wear masks. We are all in this together.
We are enormously grateful to the Scott Administration, and in particular Vermont’s Health Commissioner, Dr. Mark Levine, for their focus on the safety of our Nursing Home residents. This focus has meant better outcomes for Vermont’s elders. When Dr. Sheehan (Thompson House’s Medical Director) requested resources and medication to treat our positive residents, VDH immediately responded with what is known to be the most effective immunotherapy available, monoclonal antibodies.
Facility-wide PCR testing will occur next on Monday, 12/13/2021, and again on Thursday, 12/16. We will update you all on those results as well. Please remember:
Please stay safe.
Sincerely,
Dane A. Rank, Administrator
Melissa Osborne, RN, Director of Nursing Services
