April 19, 2022
Dear McLean Patients, Residents, and Families,
We are writing to keep you informed on our current COVID-19 status. We have two new employees who have tested positive for COVID-19. One person works on our Skyview Terrace neighborhood. Contact tracing has been completed and anyone who had a potential exposure has been notified. The second person works on Evergreen Way, and they have not been in the building for the past week. Both people are currently isolating at home. Please see our cumulative data and mitigating strategies below.
Due to this outbreak, we have completed our first round of testing for the residents on Skyview Terrace and they are all negative. Staff working on Skyview Terrace today have all been tested and they are negative. We will continue testing residents and staff on Skyview Terrace per current protocol. We do not need to test any residents or staff on Evergreen Way since the employee has not been in the building for the past week.
For the time being, the residents living on Skyview Terrace may move freely within the neighborhood and may go outside. We will be asking them to stay on the neighborhood until we perform another round of testing, per the current testing protocol.
We were aware that many of the Governor’s executive orders were going to expire last Friday. There were local media reports that this would change the mask requirements for nursing homes. We want to clarify that the requirement to wear of face masks at McLean has not changed. We follow the guidelines set forth by CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) and the Connecticut Department of Public Health and their guidelines have not changed.
The current transmission rates have moved up to “high” in our county and all of Connecticut except for Windham county. We would like to remind everyone of a few items.
- Please do not visit if you are not feeling well
- KN95 masks are to be worn at all times while inside our buildings and social distancing from others
- Please notify us immediately if you test positive within 14 days of visiting us
We look forward to you joining us for the next Family Council meeting scheduled for tomorrow, April 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Here is the information to join.
Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only)
860-241-5262 United States, Hartford
Phone Conference ID: 284 029 578#
David Bordonaro Lisa Clark
President Vice President, Administrator of the Health Center
Cumulative data below is from March 2020 to April 19, 2022
Positive cases are noted based on a resident’s home neighborhood
| Positive | Last positive case reported on: | Recovered | Deaths | |
| Total for Assisted Living | 20 | 1/21/22 | 18 | 2 |
| Total for Skilled Nursing | 40 | 1/28/22 | 33 | 7 |
| Total for Employees | 125 | 4/18/22 | 123 |
Mitigating Strategies
Our staff remains vigilant in appropriate screening, PPE usage and hand hygiene. Our mitigating strategies continue to be in effect. You will find these listed below.
- A health screening process is in place at our entrance for all essential personnel entering the building and for those who are visiting residents.
- Visitors must wear tight-fitting masks into our building and be screened at the front entrance of our health center. Please bring your driver’s license or photo ID. Also, please do not visit if you are not feeling well and be sure to abide by all travel guidelines, found here: https://portal.ct.gov/coronavirus/travel.
- Everyone will wear a KN95 mask at all times while inside our building (in all inside visitation locations including the resident’s room). They are located at the Well Screen machine when you walk in.
- This also means that food and drink will not be allowed during visits.
- If someone visiting, or the resident, is not up-to-date with their vaccinations, social distancing must be maintained during the visit and from all other residents, staff, and visitors.
- If you, or anyone that visits McLean, should discover you are COVID-19 positive within 14 days of visiting us, please call the nursing supervisor right away so we can take the appropriate actions immediately to assess the potential exposure and implement the necessary isolation protocols to stop potential spread.
- Visitors must follow the core principles of infection prevention during any visit.
- visitors who have a positive viral test for COVID-19, symptoms of COVID-19, or currently meet the criteria for quarantine, should not enter the facility
- hand hygiene (use of alcohol-based hand rub is preferred)
- a KN95 mask, covering your mouth and nose, will be worn inside our building at all times
- social distancing, at least six feet between people, in accordance with CDC guidance
- The Abernethy and Pfirman Dining Rooms are open; however, these may need to be closed on certain days or times due to staffing levels. We are doing our best to keep this to a minimum.
- The Beauty Salon / Barber Shop is open, by appointment, for residents/patients not under isolation protocols.
- Not up-to-date residents who have had a direct COVID-19 exposure or a resident who tests positive for COVID-19, will have compassionate care visits for 14 days.
- The appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is available and worn by all staff while on campus.
- Enhanced cleaning process with approved products used and an increased focus on touched surfaces remains top priority.
- Masks are provided to all residents to wear when out of their room, when they have visitors in their room, and if engaged with their care team (with the exception of face care, taking medications or eating).
- Internal audits for infection control practices have been implemented to reinforce consistent and effective preventative measures.
- Medical appointments via telemedicine will be arranged for residents/patients on isolation precautions when possible.
- COVID-19 testing of staff follows the current Connecticut Department of Public Health requirements. We will follow isolating protocols should any resident receive a positive test result and will implement additional testing and cohorting strategies.