Cedar Rapids Nursing Home Employees Test Positive for COVID-19

According to the Gazette, Heritage Specialty Care in Cedar Rapids has confirmed that two of their employees tested positive for coronavirus on Monday.

The report states that the workers started feeling symptoms Monday, and had not been at the facility, located at 200 Clive Dr. SW in Cedar Rapids, since at least last Friday. Heritage employees are required to go through a "screening process — which includes taking their temperature and asking about any symptoms — before entering the building for their shift." Following the positive test results, officials notified the Iowa Department of Public Health and began alerting families of residents and staff. The nursing home workers were not identified and it's unclear if they are involved with direct patient care. It's also unclear how these individuals became infected with COVID-19.

The state public health department is working to identify any individual who may have come in to contact with the employees. Jason Bridie, spokesman for the West Des Moines-based Care Initiatives which owns Heritage Specialty Care, said that the nursing home will take action based on the information from the investigation.

“Our main goal all along has been to try to maintain health and well-being of our residents and staff. We better than anyone understand the vulnerabilities of the patient population we serve. We’ve been doing everything we can to limit the exposure of the COVID-19 virus and we’ll continue to do that,” Bridie told the Gazette.

The report states that nursing home officials have yet to implement any new policies, but they are encouraging "staff and residents to redouble efforts to wash hands frequently and sanitize surfaces." The facility has suspended communal dining and group activities, and restricted visitors, only allowing families into the building in end-of-life or compassionate care scenarios, since March 10.