Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

7/13/2020 1:00PM

On July 10, 2020 the New York State Department of Health published guidance allowing nursing homes and assisted living residences to resume limited visitations for facilities that meet certain criteria starting July 15, 2020, which includes no COVID-19 positive resident or staff cases for 28 days consistent with the standard established by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. At this time, The Harborside Health Center is unable to resume visitation. We recognize the hardship of being separated from your loved ones and we are undertaking every effort to resume visitation as soon as permissible. We will keep family members and next of kin for our residents informed.

If you are not receiving automated voice messages from us or weekly notices from The Harborside, please contact us as soon as possible at 516-472-6688. Information available includes COVID-19 related statistics required by Executive Order 202.18.

STEPS The Harborside Health Center IS TAKING

Prior to concerns about COVID-19, we had infection prevention and control procedures in place to maximize the health and safety of the vulnerable population we serve. We have enhanced our existing protocols to minimize the risk of exposure and to provide clinical and operational personnel the information and tools necessary to address the situation as it evolves. 

The following is a summary of measures undertaken to date consistent with regulatory guidance: 

Emergency Management Team

  • Led by our Executive Director and Health Care Administrator, our team is in constant communication working together to develop efficient and effective procedures and protocols to minimize the risk of exposure and prepare for possible spread. 
  • We monitor and have been communicating with the NYSDOH and other regulators as well as trade associations and other health care providers to obtain the most up to date information to allow us to evaluate and implement the most effective prevention and control protocols. 

Resident Monitoring

  • Our clinicians are vigilantly monitoring resident health.
  • We have trained our staff to identify residents who might be at risk of COVID-19 and are prepared to institute precautions for these residents if the need arises. We have conducted in-services on handwashing and infection control protocols.

Employee and Contractor Screening

  • We are screening employees and contractors for symptoms or potential exposure to COVID-19 to prevent the introduction of the COVID-19 infection.

Facility Maintenance

  • We have increased the frequency of cleaning on high touch surfaces and high trafficked public areas with hospital-grade bleach disinfectant. This is done daily, and in many areas, multiple times a day.
  • We have made hand sanitizer readily available for residents, visitors and staff.

Visitation

Based on guidance published by CMS, NYSDOH and the Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo, as a preventative measure to limit outside exposure to our residents in The Harborside Health Center, we have stopped all outside visitation except end-of-life and those that are medically necessary. No one may enter if they have fever, shortness of breath, cough, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea as noted in the poster below published by the NYSDOH. 

We know that this will be challenging for our residents and their families and loved ones. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in order to protect the health and safety of your loved ones.

If you have any questions, please call our concierge desk at 516-472-6688 or you can reach the Director of Nursing at 516-472-6643.