Arkansas City USD 470 is going to full remote learning district-wide until Thanksgiving and virus cases continue to increase at Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor.
According to USD 470 Saturday, the school district is experiencing additional COVID-19 cases and a significant increase in the number of close contacts being excluded from school due to quarantine.
As a result of these increases, all USD 470 schools will temporarily transition to remote learning until after Thanksgiving.
Last week, USD 470 closed Ark City Middle School and three elementary schools due to virus spread. Winfield Middle School and Winfield High School also reverted to full remote learning last week.
“Fortunately, we have planned for this scenario and are ready to quickly make the transition,” the USD 470 said in its news release Saturday.
This temporary remote learning plan will, for the time being, permit the continuation of activities and athletics. That will be subject to final board review and action at the Nov. 23 Board of Education meeting.
“We hope to resume our modified hybrid model (in-person learning four days per week with Wednesdays as remote learning days) on Nov. 30 as long as conditions allow,” USD 470 stated. “Please know that we are taking this action in the interest of everyone’s health and safety. It’s also becoming increasingly difficult to staff schools which is why some of our schools had already transitioned to remote learning.
“Due to the spread of COVID-19 within our community, we believe it is important for our students and families to limit outside contact as well. During this school closure, we encourage you to avoid large gatherings, wear masks, and practice good hygiene and healthy habits.”
Cases continue to skyrocket in Cowley County and saw a jump of 128 more from Wednesday to Friday, according to the latest numbers posted by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Friday.
Since Nov. 2, 381 new cases have been confirmed in the county.
Overall, Cowley County has tallied 989 cases of COVID-19 since a national emergency proclamation was issued by the White House on March 13.
Statewide, total cases since the pandemic began number 115,507 and deaths have risen to 1,256.
From Wednesday through Friday, new cases across the state jumped by 6,282 and 41 new deaths were reported in that span alone.
COVID-19 cases over time in Cowley County. (Graph courtesy KDHE)
Manor Says 17 Residents Have Tested Positive
More residents of Ark City Presbyterian Manor have tested positive, according to a news release Friday.
Last week, resident deaths due to COVID-19 rose to three.
Results from the Manor’s latest round of testing has identified 10 health care residents and two employees with COVID-19 since Nov. 6.
The campus tested 129 staff and health care residents on Tuesday. An additional 6 employees, 7 residents and 1 contract service provider tested positive for the virus.
This brings the 7-day total to 8 employees, 17 residents and 1 contract service provider.
The seven newly diagnosed residents were asymptomatic. Of the newly diagnosed employees, five are essential health care workers and one is a non-direct resident care worker. The two employees previously diagnosed with rapid POC tests also were essential health care workers. All passed pre-shift screenings and wore personal protective equipment as required for their shifts, which were between Nov. 5 and 10.
The senior living community continues to be considered a COVID-19 cluster. A cluster is defined as two or more non-household cases associated with a location during a specific period of time.
“We continue to focus on the health and safety of our residents and employees,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s vice president for health and wellness and chief infection preventionist. “We are reviewing and reinforcing our infection control practices throughout the building.”
The Cowley County Health Department has been notified. Another round of testing will be conducted for health care residents next week. Due to the potential exposure, the health department also recommended testing all assisted living and home health residents on Friday.
Employee surveillance testing will continue as required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
CMS mandated surveillance testing of staff, including all employees, agency employees, volunteers, hospice, lab and therapy providers on a frequency determined by each county’s COVID-19 testing positivity rate.
Based on Cowley County’s positivity rate for COVID-19 tests, the Manor is testing staff once a week.
The residents who tested positive are in isolation.
Designated staff members are following doctor’s orders for treatment and following CDC infection prevention protocols.
“We will follow CDC and KDHE guidelines for when the resident may come out of isolation,” the Manor stated in its news release. “Under the current guidelines, symptomatic residents may come out of isolation when at least 72 hours have passed since resolution of the resident’s fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and the resident’s symptoms have improved and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.”
If asymptomatic, the resident will remain in isolation for 14 days.
The employees who tested positive will remain in isolation until cleared to work by the health department.
“We follow CDC and KDHE guidelines for when an employee may return to work,” the Manor said. “Under the current guidelines, symptomatic employees may return to work when at least 72 hours have passed since resolution of the employee’s fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and the employee’s symptoms have improved and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
“Asymptomatic positive employees will quarantine for 14 days. Upon the employee’s return to work, we will follow CDC recommendations related to work practices and restrictions.”
The Manor says all team members are encouraged to follow CDC guidelines and best practices as these are continually updated. The community regularly reinforces with all staff that an individual should not report to work if he or she is experiencing symptoms of a respiratory illness or not feeling well.
For more information about Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor’s response, go to PMMA’s (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s) website, Presbyterianmanors.org/Media-room.
