COVID-19 Update: Sharing Some Good News
Dear Regina Health Center Community,
I am happy to be able to report that the second dose of the coronavirus vaccine is complete! Virtually all of the residents, and a majority of the employees, have received the second dose, with the balance to receive the second dose on February 1st. I feel especially blessed when I consider that only a tiny fraction of the US population – just 1.2 million Americans – have received both doses of the vaccine. On a global scale, we are in an even more elite realm. We are light years ahead of most of the planet!
And there’s more good news to share: on our most recent coronavirus testing, all employees tested negative and just one resident tested positive. I’m happy to report that the positive resident remains asymptomatic. So, we are once again in a good place in terms of in-house COVID infection. It is my hope that the vaccine administration will enable us to continue on this encouraging trend.
Last week on Friday, we reached out to Leading Age Ohio, the professional organization that represents skilled and long-term care facilities, to inquire about what effect the vaccine will have on our COVID restrictions. We were informed that, at this time, CMS (the Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services) has issued no guidance or new directives; we were instructed to continue to follow the protocols currently in place. And so, we wait. Despite the obvious advantages of being among the first to be vaccinated, a disadvantage is that there is yet little data on which to base new guidance.
So, until new protocols are established, let’s keep our sights on Spring, which is only 60 days away! Thank you to those who have reached out to affirm the hard work and exceptional care provided by our employees, and to those who have expressed appreciation for these updates. Please continue to pray for our residents and staff. Stay healthy & God bless!
Sincerely,
Deacon Mark Yantek
Executive Director