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Colonial Springs employee tests positive for COVID-19

A Colonial Springs Healthcare Center employee has tested positive for COVID-19. Colonial Springs is a skilled nursing facility in Buffalo and is owned and operated by Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation, Bolivar.

The employee was fever free and masked while working July 3, 4 and 5 and has not worked since 6 a.m. July 6. The employee developed a fever July 6 and was tested the same day. Test results were received the afternoon of July 8. Colonial Springs administration is contacting residents, family members and employees of the potential exposure.

The facility and CMH Foundation are working closely with the Dallas County Health Department, Citizens Memorial Hospital infection prevention specialists and Department of Health and Senior Services – Long-Term Care Division to rapidly contain any possible exposures. The employee is at home in quarantine and is being monitored by Dallas County Health Department.

CMH Foundation facilities follow Center for Disease Control guidelines. Colonial Springs employees are screened each shift for COVID-19 symptoms, have their temperature taken before being allowed to work and must wear a mask. Additional preventative measures include extensive hand-washing, practicing social distancing and restricting in-person visitations.

“In our six long-term care facilities and one residential care center, we continue to conduct random employee COVID-19 testing and complete employee symptom checks. We also test and quarantine all new admissions/readmissions to our facilities,” says Joylyn Smith, RN, infection prevention coordinator for Citizens Memorial Hospital and CMH Foundation.

Colonial Springs has 114 residents and 110 employees. All residents and employees will be tested this week and closely monitored for symptoms.

The facility is under quarantine with no outdoor or open window visits allowed until further notice. It is important that family members and friends stay connected to residents during this time and use technology and alternative communication methods including Skype, FaceTime, phone calls and email.

The facility has canceled group activities and discontinued communal dining with residents being served their meals in their rooms.

“The health and safety of our residents and employees remains a top priority,” says Beverly Derrickson, CMH Foundation chief operating officer. “Our employees follow strict infection prevention protocols, which should minimize the risk to our residents. This is the first positive COVID-19 test for CMH long-term care facilities and thanks to the efforts of our residents, residents’ families and employees, we’ve been able to have no positive COVID-19 cases over the last 19 weeks. We will continue to be vigilant in keeping our residents healthy and safe.”

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