Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs News Release: Resident and Two Staff Members Diagnosed with COVID 19

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Media Release 

July 27, 2021

 

Spokane: In an effort to maintain transparency, WDVA continues to share information on COVID-19 and its impact on our State Veterans Homes.

Residents at the Spokane Veterans Home were tested yesterday using rapid COVID-19 tests. The rapid COVID-19 tests for one resident returned with a positive result.  In order to confirm the COVID-19 diagnosis, a PCR test was performed and sent to a local laboratory, that result was positive.  Over the past week, we received confirmation of two COVID-19 positive test results for two staff members.

The COVID-19 positive resident has been transferred to Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center.

Staff are wearing appropriate PPE while working in affected area and we have adequate supplies of all PPE.  Resident testing will continue each week until 14 days have passed without a positive result.  Staff continue to be tested once a week according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirements.  

Additional environmental cleaning continues to take place and we will conduct enhanced surveillance, including symptom and temperature checks during every shift, for residents for the next 14 days.  Staff members continue to closely monitor all residents.

We are in close contact with the Department of Health Infection Preventionist as well as the Local Health Department to determine whether there are additional steps that can be taken. 

Staff at all State Veterans Homes will continue to monitor whether they have any symptoms, including the presence of a fever. As part of our ongoing screening process, all staff are screened upon arrival at work each day. This process includes a series of questions around whether symptoms are present and a temperature check. Staff are asked to report any symptoms that occur after coming to work.

The State Veterans Homes are following guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which requires regular testing of all long-term care facility staff.  Currently the rate of positivity in Spokane County requires staff to be tested once each week.

As a part of our continued efforts to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the State Veterans Homes are now vaccine administrators and will hold scheduled vaccination clinics for unvaccinated residents and staff on-site.  We encourage all residents, staff, and community members who are able and eligible to be vaccinated to consider getting vaccinated for COVID-19.

In an effort to provide information as quickly and accurately as possible, we have developed a website to provide information to families and resident representatives, https://www.dva.wa.gov/covid

 

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Media Contact

Jennifer Montgomery

Communications Consultant 5

(360) 791-2038 – cell

jenniferm@dva.wa.gov