UPDATE June 10, 2022
COVID Case Count
| New positive cases | Total # Cases including new | |
| Residents | 11 | 29 |
| Employees | 4 | 17 |
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: Since your isolation room was not available when the outbreak was detected, why did Maunalani not move the negative residents out to a different room from the positive resident?
A: The recommendation not to relocate residents out of the same room as a resident who was positive for COVID was because COVID is so contagious that all residents in the same room have already been exposed and should be quarantined even though they do not test positive for COVID. A person who has the COVID virus may take a number of days before their tests are positive. Relocating these residents to other unexposed rooms would spread COVID into other areas.
Q: If I do not wish for my loved one to continue residing in the same room as the positive resident, what options do I have?
A: We offer the following Options:
- One option would be to relocate your loved one into a private room, if one is available.
- We may be able to create a private room out of a 2 or 3-bed rooms if your loved one is private pay and willing to absorb the cost of the other beds in the room in addition to their own.
- We could also relocate your loved one to a “yellow zone room” with other exposed residents.
- Another option is to assist your loved one to go home with the caution that he/she may already have COVID.
Q: Am I the only one concerned about my loved one catching COVID from their roommates?
A: Absolutely not.Your concerns are understandable.Fortunately, there is an effective vaccine and boosters to help protect us should we come in contact with the virus. Please make sure your loved one is up-to-date with vaccination. There are also effective antiviral medications, one of which is oral and another IV; both of which are under Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA. We are permitted to administer either of those drugs to those who test positive and have mild symptoms. The resident’s attending physician must give an order and the resident (or resident’s decision maker) must give permission.
Q: What is Maunalani doing to educate its staff?
A: Upon hire and annually, we require all employees to pass a mandatory Infection Control training program. We review our customers’ feedback regarding our policies and practices and share them with the staff for continuous learning. We hold brain storming sessions with our leadership team regarding the updated measures. Our Medical Director provides on-going specialized training for our clinical staff. We educate ourselves also by keeping abreast of changes and updates from local/federal regulators, health care trade organizations and our colleagues in the industry. Our Infection Preventionist meets with employees on various shifts and continually educates and enforces staff’s compliance with the principles and practices of infection control.
Q: How soon are employees allowed to return to work after testing positive?
A: After testing COVID positive, an employee may be excused from work for 5 days. If the employee is without signs/symptoms of respiratory illness and has no fever, the employee may be allowed to return to work.
Q: Is it possible to schedule an education session for families and residents with Maunalani’s Medical Director?
A: Yes. We will make arrangements for a Zoom Meeting with our Medical Director Dr. Patricia Blanchette, MD and inform every one of the logistics within the next week.
Please contact me at (808) 695-2801 for any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Sai Chantavy
Executive Director