(Photo by Zachary Meseck)

OXFORD – This letter is to provide you with an update on the status of the Veterans Home’s efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The safety and wellbeing of all residents is our top priority. We continue to receive guidance from federal and state government agencies and the departments that oversee nursing homes.

The Infection Prevention and Control Committee continues to meet as necessary to review new guidance and working closely with the county, regional, and state health department contacts.

There have been no new resident positive cases this past week. A total of twenty-one residents have tested positive since testing started along with one resident who was presumed to be positive. We are currently conducting facility-wide resident tests every 3 to 7 days until there are 14 consecutive days of no positive employee or resident test results.

We will also continue to test all residents with symptoms or if a resident must test prior to a hospital appointment/procedure. Thirty-one employees have tested positive or presumptive positive since testing became readily available. Staff are also being tested every 3 to 7 days until there are 14 consecutive days of no positive employee or resident test results.

All neighborhoods on a higher level of precautions due to the potential contact with employees who tested positive. These precautionary measures include requiring residents to remain in their rooms with their door closed whenever possible. The higher level quarantine for all neighborhoods is scheduled through November 12.

Based on the recent positive tests and exposures, the next possible start date for “Auditorium visits”for everyone will be November 17. Window visits are allowed now, so please speak with Recreation Therapy (RT) staff about setting up a window visit.

The Veterans Home is committed to providing families with novel coronavirus (COVID-19) informational updates through letters posted on our website and personal updates via telephone regarding your loved ones’ specific status. The Veterans Home has been and will remain open in its reporting of COVID-19 informationduring this pandemic.

In response to Executive Order 202.18 issued by Governor Cuomo's office on April 19, 2020, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Guidance QSO-20-29-NH issued on May 8, 2020, all nursing homes licensed by the Commissioner of Health shall notify all residents and family members and/or representatives of all residents if any resident tests positive for COVID-19 or if any resident suffers a COVID-19 related death within 24 hours of such positive test result or death.

In addition, notification will be made when any staff member tests positive or if a cluster of three or more residents and/or staff with new onset respiratory symptoms occurs. In accordance with Executive Order 202.18 and CMS Guidance QSO-20-29-NH, the Veterans Home will post this information as needed on our website, www.nysvets.org.

The memo will include the number of new COVID-19 positive tests, resident COVID-19 related expirations and any clusters of new on-set of respiratory symptoms for the last 24-hour period.

The Veterans Home will continue to be available to family members to respond to any questions you may have. Do not hesitate to contact your social worker for assistance.

Stay well,

Veterans’ Home Administrator Kurt D. Apthorpe