An employee at Woodland Pond who worked in the retirement community’s Assisted Living unit has tested positive for COVID-19, according to an announcement last night from CEO and president Michelle T. Gramoglia.
At this time, no Woodland Pond residents have presented with signs or symptoms of the flu or COVID-19, according to Gramoglia.
The employee who tested positive last worked on the Assisted Living unit, their regular assignment, on March 24. This staff member had no known exposures to the virus, and at this time, the transmission is being treated as community acquired.
Beginning March 21, all residents of the Assisted Living, Memory Care, Skilled Nursing units, and Independent Living (as needed) began to be monitored every shift for signs and symptoms of illness, including temperature checks.
“We have prepared for this eventuality, but certainly hoped we would be able to avoid this virus,” said Gramoglia. “We will continue the utmost diligence and vigilance as we look to protect all of our people.”
The facility, along with other local retirement, continuing care and nursing homes, were among the first institutions to respond to the escalating outbreak, barring all visitors earlier this month. These places are considered especially vulnerable to outbreaks; at one nursing home in Washington State, 160 were sickened and 35 died.
