Covered this week:
Incidence Rates
Covid-19 Status in Each Community
Vaccine News
What are the Incidence Rates in Our Markets?
Incidence rates are rising in each county where our communities are located. Despite our best practices and protocols, we do have active cases of Covid-19 in our communities among staff, residents, or both. Those incidences are enumerated below. The work inside each community is focused, empathetic and with the best our hearts, minds, and actions can deliver. Resident and team safety is priority #1.
Thanksgiving was expected to bring about a surge and according to the CDC and numerous other infection control experts, the full ramifications of thanksgiving gatherings and travel will not be realized until somewhere around Mid-Late-December. That is concerning to all of us and we are taking the most conservative precautions in each community at this time. All protocols are in place and daily communication is occurring with our teams.
Positivity Rates By County
Below are the current Positivity/Incidence rates in the regions where our communities exist. As a reminder, the Positivity Rate is the percentage of all coronavirus tests performed that are actually positive, or: (positive tests)/(total tests) x 100%.
The threshold for concern in incidence rates is at or above 5%.
| State | County | Town of ICC Community | Positivity Rate (12/4/20) |
| PA | Allegheny | Pittsburgh | 8.9% |
| PA | Bedford | Bedford | 22.3% |
| PA | Blair | Tyrone | 13.4% |
| PA | Butler | Butler | 9.9% |
| PA | Clearfield | Clearfield | 12.1% |
| PA | Cumberland | Camp Hill | 11.4% |
| PA | Franklin | Chambersburg | 16.3% |
| PA | Lancaster | Lancaster | 14.3% |
| PA | Westmoreland | Greensburg | 13.0% |
| MD | Talbot | Easton | 3.9% |
| MD | Queen Anne’s | Queenstown | 6.6% |
| MD | Anne Arundel | Annapolis | 8.3% |
| VA | Fairfax | Reston | 10.3% |
What is going on Inside Each Community with an Active Surge?
We are working to maintain transparency as much as possible to ease concerns. Our community Executive Operations Officers have been sending out voicemail updates to keep you apprised of the situation within the community of your loved one. We assure you, we are updating responsible parties and designated persons of residents if/when a status change occurs.
We are dedicated to keeping you informed as timely as possible. We please ask that you be patient with our teams working through an active surge. Delays in response are absolutely not meant to hide information and are actually the result of the taxing nature of squashing this disease.
What About the Return to the Processes Developed Early in the Pandemic?
Many have asked what we are doing to retain and build the condition of our residents in communities where there has been a surge. In communities working through a surge, resident activities are being conducted on a one-to-one basis in resident apartments. An emphasis on exercise is in place to keep our residents healthy and active despite the quarantine. Quarantined zones are being cared for with dedicated teams.
Solid actions in each community are in place that includes hydration routines, new and interesting dining service approaches, daily engagement, and exercise to the greatest extent possible. Residents are responding well and we believe progress is evident.
What About the Covid Vaccine?
We have registered with the Federal Covid Vaccine Program and are doing everything we can to ensure that when the vaccine is released, we receive it as soon as we are able. The CDC has recommended that team members and residents in long-term care receive the vaccine first. Once approved 6.5 million doses of the vaccine will be released. However, there are over 24 million staff and residents in long-term care needing the vaccine. Further, there are 65 jurisdictions, and the federal government has given over the prioritization of the vaccine to the various jurisdictions (states and very large cities) to determine their own priorities.
We asked many of you to sign the petition from the Pennsylvania Healthcare Association to tell PA lawmakers that seniors and care staff need the vaccine first, in order to stop the spread and save lives. The vaccine is a focus for us and all organizations within our field of influence.
Pending approval, the first distribution of the vaccine should be by the end of December, and the requisite second inoculation dosage following in January (to complete the first dose). So while the CDC has provided their recommendations, prioritization may vary across our markets. Regardless, we anticipate our Team and Residents to receive some form of priority over the public to receive the vaccination. Once we have specific data on when those vaccines will arrive in our communities, we will share that with you.
What is the Covid Status at Our Communities?
Covid Clear Communities
The following communities remain Covid-19 free as of 11:00AM 12/4
- The Pines of Mount Lebanon, Pittsburgh PA
- Allegheny County has issued a stay-at-home order which will affect visit protocols. Please contact your EOO for further details.
- Hunters Woods at Trails Edge, Reston VA
- VA Department of Health has mandated that no indoor visits be allowed. Residents are enjoying distanced dining. The Rusty Wrench Garage bar is open for outside distanced events.
Covid Paused Communities
These communities have at least one Covid positive test result. Protocols have changed as a result and we are working to determine whether the positive case is an isolated case.
- Magnolias of Lancaster
- 0 Residents, 1 Team Member Positive
- No new positive results this week
- This is confirmed to be an isolated case
- 100% testing of team and Residents underway as a precaution
- The Woods at Cedar Run
- 1 Resident and 2 Team Members Positive
- No new positive results for a second week
- The positive resident is in quarantine and being cared for by a dedicated team.
- Testing of Team and Residents continues
- Distanced dining and distanced small group activities are in effect
- Visits to be scheduled with the community
- Newhaven Court at Lindwood
- 0 Resident and 1 Team Members Positive
- The case is believed to be isolated
- A previous positive resident has completed quarantine
- Out of an abundance of caution, PA Department of Health has placed us under ‘Yellow’ phase requiring residents to shelter in place in their apartments
- Virtual visits encouraged
- Newhaven Court at Clearview
- 0 Resident and 1 Team Members Positive
- No new positive cases for a second week
- The case is confirmed to be isolated
- The positive team member remains at home with only mild symptoms
- Dining and distanced small group activities are in effect
- Virtual visits encouraged
- Colonial Courtyard at Tyrone
- 1 Resident and 1 Team Members Positive
- County has an exceptionally fast rise in positivity rate – Team is on alert
- Distanced dining and distanced small group activities are in effect
- Virtual visits encouraged
- Candle Light Cove
- 1 Resident and 2 Team Members Positive
- No new positive cases this week
- MD state regs have suspended all visits within the community
- MD mandates twice-weekly testing of all Team
- MD mandates once-weekly testing of all Residents
- Distanced dining and distanced small group activities are in effect
- Virtual visits encouraged
Covid Secured Communities
These communities have a substantial number of Covid positive test results. Protocols have changed with full isolation zones to contain the spread of the virus.
- Colonial Courtyard at Bedford
- 56 Resident and 27 Team Members Positive
- 14 Residents have passed away; 3 of which on Hospice
- Our team is devasted by these losses but remains ready to serve
- Residents are isolating in their apartments within the quarantined zones to protect remaining negative residents
- All dining is enjoyed in resident apartments
- Activities are done on a one-on-one basis with an emphasis on exercise to keep residents active
- Visits can occur at resident windows
- Testing is bi-weekly and on-going
- Working with Grane Hospice to provide grief and loss counseling for our team who are understandably devastated at the loss
- Magnolias of Chambersburg
- 17 Residents and 14 Team Members Positive
- 2 Residents have passed away; 0 on Hospice
- Awaiting this week’s test results
- Residents are isolating in their apartments within the quarantined zones to protect remaining negative residents
- All dining is enjoyed in resident apartments
- Activities are done on a one-on-one basis
- Visits can occur at resident windows
- Testing is bi-weekly and on-going
- Colonial Courtyard at Clearfield
- 3 Resident and 5 Team Members Positive
- 9 Team members are quarantined for suspected exposure to Covid outside of the community.
- County has an exceptionally fast rise in positivity rate – Team is on alert
- All dining is enjoyed in resident apartments
- Activities are done on a one-on-one basis
- Visits can occur at resident windows
- Testing is bi-weekly and on-going
It has been nine long months and we are deeply grateful to all of you for your encouragement, trust, patience, and support of our onsite teams. It means more than you will ever know. We are in this together!
For more information, please contact your Executive Operations Officer at your community. Stay Healthy!