COVID-19 Outbreak – Veterans Home in Collins

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COVID-19 Outbreak – Veterans Home in Collins

COLLINS – Mississippi Veterans Affairs (MSVA) is working to contain a recent COVID-19 outbreak in the Mississippi Veterans Home at Collins.

On Friday, September 4th, the Collins home reported nine active COVID residents and four deaths. Two of the nine positive residents are currently receiving treatment at a local hospital.

“We recently completed testing of 100 percent of both the residents and staff at our Veterans Home at Collins,” said MSVA Executive Director Stacey Pickering. “Our next steps are to ensure that the affected residents get the proper medical care that they need and deserve to fight the virus.”

Through its COVID Response plan, MVSA is working to combat the virus’s spread, including recommendations from the Mississippi State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This includes weekly testing at all four State Veterans Homes.

The protocol for a positive test of a resident or staff is as follows:

Resident

Residents identified as “at-risk” (residents identified as having direct contact with a person who tests positive through contact tracing) are isolated, closely monitored and tested for COVID-19.
At-risk residents remain in isolation until results are received or begin exhibiting symptoms. If the resident tests positive or shows signs and symptoms, he/she is immediately transferred to the home’s COVID unit.
Residents who test positive are transferred to the COVID unit. He/she remains in the unit for a minimum of 14 days or until he/she is symptom-free for 72 hours, or test negative for COVID-19.
Testing after 14 days may be obtained per a medical doctor’s orders. However, it is not mandatory per guidelines.

Staff

A team member is placed on administrative leave immediately following known COVID-19 exposure.
A team member is required to test for COVID-19 and/or quarantine for 14 days.
A team member may return to work after 14 days of testing positive and is symptom-free for 72 hours.

The Mississippi Department of Health is notified of all residents and staff who test positive for COVID-19 as required. Families of residents are also notified of positive cases.

In addition to this protocol, anyone entering the facility (staff, medical professionals, contractors, delivery/vendor partners, and others) must wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE). All in-person visitation at the Veterans Home in Collins has been suspended until conditions are deemed safe for residents and staff.

MageeNews.com is an online news service covering Simpson and surround counties as well as the State of Mississippi.