NORWAY — The Progress Center would like to acknowledge that we have had two staff members test positive for COVID-19. Due to recent closures, neither of the individuals exposed have been in contact with any individuals whom we support. We are thankful for their vigilance and willingness to proceed quickly with testing.
In response to the positive tests for COVID-19 we immediately contacted all employees who met the CDC definition of close contact and asked them to quarantine for fourteen days. Employees who are symptomatic and/or tested positive are not permitted to return to work until they meet return-to-work criteria.
These positive tests have led to The Progress Center initiating a containment process and requiring all staff at the facility as well as our administration team to test twice for COVID-19. The availability of testing has been instrumental in identifying that these cases are isolated. Our Infection Control team is confident that the measures we have implemented, which include weekly testing for Community Support Direct Support Professionals, transitioning to one-on-one and virtual Community Support and increased sanitation will eliminate as much risk as possible to our employees and the individuals we support.
The positive cases did not impact any other service sectors at The Progress Center, and our experience over the past few months demonstrates that we can create and maintain a safe environment by adhering to all of the elements of our Pandemic Response Plan. In addition, in response to these cases, we are:
- Reinforcing masking expectations with both providers and patients
- Increasing communication about the importance of eye protection for providers interacting with patients
- Continuing to modify The Progress Center practices to provide additional spaces for staff to distance while working
- Reviewing our contact tracing protocol to identify opportunities for improvement
- Continuing to review and improve our response plans and protocols
- Working with infection control experts to define future practices that will enhance the safety of our environment for employees and the individuals we serve
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