Corona Cases Rise; Nursing Home Testing to Begin Soon
The number of coronavirus cases in Fayette County continued to climb last week.
As of Monday morning, May 18, there were 30 confirmed cases of the virus in Fayette County. Of those, 12 people have recovered and two people have died, leaving 16 active cases. Most of the cases have been in the Flatonia area. The county reported 15 cases in Precinct 3 as of Monday morning.
Last week, the Record reported that nine cases in the Flatonia area involved workers at Cal-Maine Foods, an egg producer that employs more than 200 people in Fayette County.
Fayette County Emergency Management Chief Craig Moreau reported that the County will soon begin mass testing of nursing home residents and staff.
“I can’t give you an exact date yet, but it will be very soon,” Moreau told the Record last Friday.
The testing effort at the nursing home is part of Governor Abbott’s plan to test all nursing home residents in the state.
On Thursday Moreau held a meeting with all the local nursing homes to discuss details of the required testing.
He shared some questions and answers:
How long will this process take?
The goal is to complete the process within two weeks. We will work to complete the testing as quickly as possible and will continue deploying teams until all facilities have been tested.
What is the plan for how this testing will be done?
In order to conduct testing for the 1,224 licensed nursing facilities in Texas, it will take a lot of partners working together. Depending on where you are in the state the team that conducts the testing for your facility may be from the/an:
• Local Health Department or DSHS Public Health Region
• Regulated fire department for your area
• Emergency Medical Task Force team at the direction of the state
• Texas Military Department Mobile Testing Teams at the direction of the state
Who is paying for this?
The costs associated with this testing will be covered using available funding sources. More information will be coming about how to seek reimbursement for those expendilures.
Who is considered staff?
Staff refers to all paid and unpaid persons serving in facilities who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to residents or infectious materials. Staff includes, but are not limited to, EMS personnel, nurses, certified nursing assistants, physicians, technicians, therapists, phlebotomists, pharmacists, students and trainees, contractual staff not employed by the facility, and persons not directly involved in patient care, but who could be exposed to infectious agents that can be transmitted in the health care setting (e.g., clerical, dietary, environmental services, laundry, security, engineering and facilities management, administrative, billing, and volunteer personnel).
Additionally ...
Facilities that are scheduled for testing will be given at least 24-hours of notice prior to the specimen collection process taking place. Facilities should work with the testing team on the time the testing will take place and are encouraged to schedule the specimen collection over a shift change to maximize the number of people already scheduled to be on-site. Administrators should make arrangements for off-duty staff to be present at the facility during the specimen collection.
Nursing facilities may choose to conduct testing independent of the state process. If your facility has tested 100 percent of residents and staff since April 15, inform the testing team when you are contacted to schedule testing. You will be required to provide documentation to the team calling to schedule testing and to HHSC Long-Term Care Regulatory showing when all residents and staff were tested.
How long will it take to get test results?
Specimens must be sent to a laboratory. Results are typically available between one and seven days after testing.
Can I use the laboratory my facility has an existing relationship with to test these specimens?
Yes. This is not only allowed but preferred. There will be more information coming about how these costs will be billed or reimbursed.
What happens if a nursing home staff member tests positive during mass testing?
Health care personnel that test positive for COVID-19 should be excluded from work until they meet all Return to Work Criteria.
What if a nursing home resident or staff member declines a COVID-19 test?
Residents and staff do have the right to refuse testing. Residents who refuse testing should be treated as though they are positive and isolated and monitored for 14 days. However, they should not be “co-horted” with residents with confirmed positive cases. Staff who refuse testing should stop working and self-quarantine at home and self-monitor for 14 days unless they provide proof of a negative PCR test.