Norwich Rehabilitation and Nursing Center has managed to avoid an outbreak of coronavirus cases, and facility leaders credit the hard work of its staff for its success. (Submitted photo)

NORWICH – Norwich Rehabilitation and Nursing Center has avoided any major COVID-19 outbreaks, and with 90 percent of its residents receiving the vaccination earlier this month representatives said an incredible staff made it possible.

According to Norwich Rehabilitation and Nursing Center Director Edith Revoir, with a little luck and hard working facility members, Norwich Rehab has been able to keep their residents safe.

“Long term care facilities are kind of getting a bad reputation because of COVID-19 outbreaks, but I know how hard everyone in the field is working to keep their residents as safe as possible,” said Revoir. “Everyone in the field has made sacrifices, but we’ve been really fortunate here when it comes to outbreaks.”

Revoir said there have been four isolated incidents of COVID-19 at the facility, and each time the individuals were non-symptomatic. Revoir added that currently the facility has no COVID-19 cases, no coronavirus deaths, and has been making great strides to vaccinating staff and residents.

She said any staff members who tested positive were furloughed for 14 days, and many changes to policy were made to help keep staff and residents safe.

“Our residents and families haven’t seen each other since March, and that’s hard to deal with for so long,” she added. “There was no plan for this, and all of us in this industry do a tremendous amount of emergency planning.”