ADDITIONAL COVID-19 CASES AT OAKVIEW TERRACE

Freeman Regional Health Services (FRHS) would like to inform the community that additional FRHS Oakview Terrace nursing home residents have tested positive for COVID-19. These residents were likely to test positive because they live in Southview Secured Memory Care Neighborhood, the same area as the resident who previously tested positive.

FRHS took careful consideration of the CDC guidance on the potential risks and benefits of moving memory care residents out of their home environment to a designated COVID-19 care area. It was determined that it is safer to maintain care of COVID-19 positive memory care residents in their familiar neighborhood with dedicated personnel. The representatives of the Southview residents who had not yet tested positive, were given the option to quarantine their loved one outside of the neighborhood. All chose to have their loved ones remain in the neighborhood recognizing that the security and familiar environment outweighed the potential outcomes from contracting COVID-19 virus.

FRHS continues to take every appropriate action to prevent the COVID-19 virus from further spreading in the healthcare facility and the broader community. Residents in the Southview neighborhood remain in that area at all times and have activities that incorporate appropriate infection control precautions. FRHS will continue to test all Oakview Terrace staff and residents per state and federal guidelines. This testing will help identify asymptomatic individuals that could be unintentionally spreading the COVID-19 virus.

Please be assured that keeping everyone safe and healthy continues to be the top priority and FRHS will continue to inform the community of any further developments. FRHS requests the assistance of the community to take personal actions that minimize the spread and reduce the incidence of COVID-19 virus infection.