QUINCY — The Illinois Veterans’ Home at Quincy has seen a surge in numbers, with more than two dozen positive cases reported this week from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
“We’re in our third or fourth round with COVID throughout the Quincy community,” said Troy Culbertson, administrator for the home in Quincy. “We’re not doing anything differently from previous cases. When we detect a positive case, we isolate the patient in our COVID unit and monitor their symptoms.”
The IDPH shows 16 cases reported among residents and 10 cases among the staff. Culbertson said the most apparent symptoms in the current cases with the residents are runny noses, some congestion, and temperatures around 99 degrees.
“We haven’t had any reports of serious respiratory issues,” he said. “We did send a few residents to the hospital as a precaution, but all but one have already come back. The one that’s there now is being treated for non-COVID issues.”
The IDPH report shows that all residents that have tested positive have been fully vaccinated, with 11 of the 16 veterans up to date with their boosters, as well.
“Our top priority remains the health and safety of our military veterans and the dedicated IDVA staff who care for them,” said Terry Prince, the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs Director in the statement. “The Department continues to adhere to current regulations and is receiving assistance from the local health department and the IDPH. We are grateful to our team for remaining highly vigilant for signs or symptoms of COVID-19 and for responding swiftly, appropriately, and professionally to any potential cases.”
Culbertson said the Quincy staff is taking precautions that exceed the requirements handed down from the state. Along with staff continuing to use full personal protective equipment including face shields and N95 masks, staff who may have been exposed are not working with the residents.
“The guidelines we have now say that staff are allowed to work, even if they’ve been exposed,” Culbertson said. “But we’re sending them home.
“We’re taking every step, every measure to mitigate the exposure,” he added.
Culbertson emphasized that the cases they’re seeing are mild, and that patients are in otherwise in good health.
“They’re not struggling,” he said.
The IDPH statement on the outbreak said activities and social services staff at the Home continue to provide leisure activities, in accordance with social distancing practices, to care for the psychosocial well-being of residents. Visitation is allowed to continue, per CDC guidelines however, families have been notified that the facility is operating under outbreak status and that rescheduling visitation should be considered.
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