Fifth COVID-19 death reported at South Yarmouth nursing home. State response team on site.

Rasheek Tabassum Mujib

Cape Cod Times

Published March 7, 2023 

Windsor Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in South Yarmouth continued on Monday to face a COVID-19 outbreak, with a total of five resident deaths reported. Four deaths had been reported as of March 1.

Since Feb. 21, when the outbreak began, the nursing home has had a total of 75 residents and 20 staff test positive for COVID-19.

There are 86 residents in the facility.

The facility is conducting daily tests for residents who have tested negative, said Lisa Gaudet, vice president of business development and marketing at Integritus Healthcare, which operates the nursing home. Staff are also tested daily.

Positive residents, once they reach day five, are tested daily until they are determined to be cleared," Gaudet said.

Integritus Healthcare is a nonprofit Massachusetts-based company offering senior housing and health care, memory care, hospice and palliative care.

There were 21 residents still testing positive as of Monday, and 15 staff members

As of Monday, there were 21 residents still testing positive in the facility, and 47 residents who had recovered — and among the 47 were two residents who were discharged to go home, Gaudet said. Five members of the staff had recovered while 15 staff members were still testing positive.

One of the 15 affected staff members tested positive on Monday, but there have not been any new resident cases since Saturday, March 4.

According to Gaudet, the nursing home is anticipating clearing one to four residents each day through Tuesday, March 14.

At Windsor 90% of residents have had the primary series vaccine

Of the residents at Windsor – 90% have had the primary series vaccine and 87% are up-to-date with their bivalent booster shot. Integritus Healthcare has their own infection control team on the grounds at Windsor.

"Our physicians and nurse practitioners have assessed our patients and state they are doing well; we are treating those in need of medication with prescribed antiviral medications," said Gaudet. "The team at Windsor is in daily communication with the epidemiology team at the Department of Public Health to assure that all our practices and protocols are in adherence with their requirements."

State public health officials issued an admissions freeze notice to the facility on Feb. 28, in response to the outbreak. In addition, a state-supported rapid response team (RRT) was providing clinical support at the facility since Feb. 28.

The 10- to 12-member rapid response team consists of licensed nurses and certified nursing assistants. At Windsor they would be providing clinical care to residents such as medication administration, support with eating, toileting, and bathing, and performing hand hygiene, and personal protective equipment audits. 

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