COVID Mitigation Effort

Updated September 18, 2020

 

As of September 18. 2020, there are no new positive COVID-19 cases to report since the notice that was distributed on Wednesday, September 9.  Current active cases include one employee of Meadowbrook Health Center.  All previously reported cases have recovered.

As of September 18, 2020, the number of active cases in Champaign County is at 439, which is down from the previous week’s 629 cases.  Current hospitalizations, however, are up, from 3 to 8.  The positivity rate as of September 5th is at 1.4%. and the ICU availability is at 49%.  The extra precautions imposed by the University of Illinois seem to be having a positive effect. 

Please continue to be cautious.  We are more than six months into this pandemic and while we have learned a lot, the threat is still as serious as ever.  

Since the early days of this pandemic, residents have been strongly encouraged to wear face coverings whenever they are in close contact with others outside of their household.  Face coverings help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and they help to protect you and those around you.  In light of recent orders issued by the Governor’s Office and the Champaign Urbana Public Health District, face coverings will now be required here at Clark-Lindsey (and beyond).

An excerpt from the state executive order:

Any individual who is over age two and able to medically tolerate a face covering (a mask or cloth face covering) shall be required to cover their nose and mouth with a face covering when in a public place and unable to maintain at least a six-foot social distance.  The requirement applies whether in an indoor space, such as a store, or in an outdoor space.  Individuals may remove their face coverings while eating or drinking.

Additionally, the local health department held a special meeting last Friday afternoon to adopt a local ordinance on the same topic.  People not wearing a face covering in public could face citations or fines from the health department, in addition to business fines.  The local ordinance takes effect on Monday, August 24th.  CUPHD considers the commons space of apartment buildings (and Clark-Lindsey) public space in which the rules would apply.

IDPH issued rules on “reopening” skilled care and assisted living facilities.  The term reopening refers primarily to the easing of restrictions relating to visitors, communal dining, group activities, and salon services.  We are still in the process of implementing the necessary steps to move through the three phases of reopening.  The timing of transitioning from one phase to another will depend on:  case status in the region (what’s going on in the east central region and Champaign County), resident case status within the facility (have there been any facility-onset cases?), staffing and personal protective equipment supply (is there enough to meet care needs?), and implementation of universal screening, universal face masks, testing plan, and a hand hygiene plan.  Each phase must be maintained for 14 days prior to moving to the next phase.  Changes in any of the above-mentioned conditions can move Meadowbrook and Green House homes back to Phase 1 to start all over again.  

We are working hard to finalize policies and procedures so that we can get to the least restrictive Phase 3 as soon as possible.  (Disappointedly, we did receive notice from the local health department on August 14, 2020 that due the number of new cases weekly, current local hospitalization, and the pending reopening of the University campus, it will be necessary to stay in Phase 2 until further notice.  This means that visitation will continue to be limited to the outdoors for the time being.)

It is a complicated set of regulations and kudos goes out to Rikki Brady, Vice President of Health Services/Administrator, and her management team for navigating the ever-changing regulatory environment.  We are all looking forward to the day that our residents of skilled care and assisted living can enjoy the services and freedoms they did prior to the pandemic.
 

Announcing New Quarantine Rules for Independent Living
Given the increased requirements and enforcement of using face coverings in public spaces (and within Clark-Lindsey’s commons space), it seems appropriate to re-evaluate the rules surrounding quarantine.

As a reminder, the 14-day quarantine is required when a resident has new signs and symptoms consistent with COVID-19, or when there is a confirmed positive diagnosis of COVID-19, or when the resident has had possible exposure to COVID-19.  The current rule that an overnight stay off the Clark-Lindsey campus automatically triggers a 14-day quarantine is to protect the Clark-Lindsey community from “possible exposure.”

Our standard quarantine rule requires you to stay in your apartment for 14 days after an overnight absence from your apartment.  During this Standard Quarantine period, you may only leave your apartment to go to or return from a medical appointment.  We understand that 14 days within the same apartment can feel like a very long time!

The Modified Quarantine, which is also 14 days, allows for you to leave your apartment to go to the nearest exit of the building and then return directly to your apartment via the most direct path.  While you aren’t permitted to use the fitness center, pool, library or other commons space or participate in on-campus group activities during the Modified Quarantine period, you can leave the building to pick up prescriptions, conduct banking, or even just get outside for a walk around the grounds.  

The Standard Quarantine will still be required following an overnight hospital stay or whenever you cannot answer “no” to any of the screening questions. Screening questions change from time to time, but currently, a “yes” answer to any of these questions would require the full Standard Quarantine.

1. Have you had a diagnosis of COVID-19 and it is before completing the appropriate period of isolation?

2. Have you had prolonged close contact with a person with COVID-19 while not using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) during the last 14 days?

3. Do you have new signs or symptoms of:  Fever, Chills, Cough, Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, Fatigue, Muscle or body aches, Headache, New loss of taste or smell, Sore throat, Congestion or runny nose, Nausea or vomiting, Diarrhea?

4. In the last 14 days, have you traveled internationally or been on a cruise ship?

There may be additional travel situations that would require a Standard Quarantine, depending on where you may be travelling or your exposure to large crowds.  Prior to making travel plans, please check with Residential Services so you know what kind of quarantine experience to expect.

Changes to Independent Living Resident Screening at Entry
Apartment residents are no longer required to be screened upon re-entry to the building. We know that you are receiving daily screenings as part of your meal time delivery and that you know what to do to report any new signs and symptoms that you might notice.  The screening changes may take a little while to be fully implemented our many screeners who will be covering the doors this weekend.  Please be patient with them as we transition to this new procedure.  Residents are still required to sign-in and to wash their hands before proceeding through the building.  And if you are interested in getting an extra temperature check from the screener, you are more than welcome to request it.  Villa residents continue to be required to participate in the full screening procedures.

We still need to continue to be very careful.  As people return to work and school throughout the community, the risk of transmission will continue to increase.  You can protect yourself and your friends by continuing to do these things:

• Wearing a mask over both your mouth and nose (even for short interactions)

• Practicing social/physical distancing (at least six feet from another person)

• Being health-screened every day and reporting any signs and symptoms as soon as you are experiencing them 

• Practicing good hand-washing techniques and using sanitizer frequently 

• Avoiding group gatherings and minimizing trips to public spaces where social distancing cannot be maintained.  This includes indoor restaurants.

And when thinking about participating in a public activity (like going to the store, or visiting a family member, or even walking through Meadowbrook Park on a busy weekend evening), ask yourself these questions:

• Can you avoid crowds or close interaction with people you do not know?

• Can you always keep 6-foot distance from others?

• Can you always wear a mask (and will everyone else be wearing a mask)?

• Is the activity outdoors?

If the answer is “no” to any of these questions, consider avoiding non-essential activities.

If you would like the guide, "Navigating a World with COVID-19: Tips & Tricks From Clark-Lindsey" you can access it HERE.

You can follow the local COVID trends online at   https://www.c-uphd.org/champaign-urbana-illinois-coronavirus-information.html

 

Liang Dining Room Reopening

On Monday, September 21st, look for the lunch menu to be posted on Channel 2 and the Resident Portal. Residents wishing to have lunch in place of dinner are welcome to come to the Laing Dining Room Monday through Friday from noon to 1:00 PM and no reservations are needed. Residents who wish to partake in lunch and still receive a tray may do so for an additional charge.
 
The re-opening of the Laing Dining Room for dinner is rescheduled for Monday, October 12th. Please watch for upcoming tutorials on the reservation process for eating evening dinners in the dining room and also a video that will feature Kim Cabello and Nathan Marlow discussing what service will look like when we reopen our dining room for evening service. Please note that apartment delivery service will continue for residents wishing to eat dinner in their apartments.

 

In July, the following changes went into effect for The Village (Independent Living):

• Scheduled sales tours are now permitted for wait list members and prospects who are interested in apartments currently on offer in the Village. Each individual tour is limited to three people. Guests will be screened the day prior to their visit as well as screened upon arrival for their tour.
• Water-based exercise classes are now available to Village residents. Class size allows for a maximum of six, including the instructor.  Registration is required.  
• Indoor land-based exercise classes continue to be available with a maximum class size of 10.
• Staff-organized and resident-led activities have group size limitations of 10 for indoor activities and 25 for outdoor activities.
• Weekly complimentary transportation to select area stores (grocery and general merchandise) is now available. Registration through the front desk is required.

 

Outdoor Visitors - Independent Living
Visits from family and friends are happening for Independent Living Residents on campus!   While outdoor visits are considered safer than indoor visits, there is still enough risk to warrant the following safety precautions (and campus rules):

• Please do not schedule a visit if either you or your visitor is not feeling well.  Ask your visitor if he or she has been exposed to COVID-19 or travelled to areas with high COVID infection rates and ask that they reschedule their visit until more than 14 days has passed.
• Residents that are under quarantine may not have visitors until they are no longer under quarantine precautions.
• All visits must happen outside.  Visitors are not allowed inside the building (this includes no visitor access to toilet facilities).
• All visitors must be age 18 years or older.
• Three visitors are allowed at one time.
• Both the visitor and the resident are required to wear face coverings (masks) throughout the duration of the visit.
• Social distance of a minimum of 6 feet is recommended.

 

Continued Precautions
As Clark-Lindsey cautiously re-opens, you can expect the familiar advice about masks, handwashing, and social distancing to continue.  As a matter of fact, use of certain amenities or participation in activities will require it.  To protect other members of a class or activity (including the staff), face coverings will be required for most indoor activities.

From the CDC website:  “CDC continues to study the spread and effects of the novel coronavirus across the United States.  We now know from recent studies that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (“asymptomatic”) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (“pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms.  This means that the virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity—for example, speaking, coughing, or sneezing—even if those people are not exhibiting symptoms.  In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

It is critical to emphasize that maintaining 6-feet social distancing remains important to slowing the spread of the virus.  CDC is additionally advising the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.  Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.”

You can read more about the recent studies that support mask-wearing as a key strategy in fighting the spread of COVID-19 at  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html The CDC also has updated resources about Daily Life & Coping that includes information about deciding to go out, running errands, and other activities.  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/going-out.html

 

Mask Safety for Services in Independent Living Apartments
For the safety of staff (and residents), when any staff is visiting an apartment, residents must wear a face covering.  This includes when residents are receiving housekeeping or maintenance services.  Residents can also choose to leave the apartment while the services are being performed or cancel their housekeeping if that is their wish.  This also applies to visits from technology support or residential services.

 

Continued Services
We understand that just because you can go out, doesn’t mean that you want to go out.  All residents should continue to exercise caution as they decide what their individual risk tolerance is.  For the time being, we will continue to provide door-to-door delivery of meals and mail.  Concierge grocery service will also continue at no additional charge.  In other words, if you feel safest in your apartment, we will continue to support you in your choice to stay there.  Daily temperatures and check-ins will also continue.

For residents ready to venture out into the world, please consider planning your trips for less busy times.  Bring your mask and your hand sanitizer with you.  And limit your participation in large groups, choosing outdoor gatherings over indoor gatherings and maintaining 6 feet of distance whenever possible.

 

What’s Next
At each point in our re-opening plan, we will review local COVID-19 trends, including new cases in the county, hospital capacity, and testing availability, before further relaxing campus restrictions.  While it is our hope that our “next step” will be towards less restrictions, it is always a possibility that community trends would require us to reinstate previous restrictions for the safety of the overall Clark-Lindsey community. 

 

Meadowbrook Health Center and Green House Homes

The most recent case involved an employee who works closely with residents of Meadowbrook Health Center. During the next few weeks, Meadowbrook Health Center will have additional precautions in place including additional use of personal protective equipment and weekly testing of elders and staff who live or work in Meadowbrook.

Outdoor visits for our Green House Homes and Meadowbrook Health Center are still in effect. Visits require an advance reservation. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has issued the following guidelines that must be followed in order for visits to occur:

• If you are ill, we ask that you not visit or schedule a visit until you are feeling well
• Residents that are under isolation/quarantine may not have visitors until they have been released from isolation/quarantine
• All visits must happen outside – visitors are not allowed inside the building
• All visitors must be age 18 years old or older
• Two visitors are allowed at one time per resident with a maximum of two visits per day per resident
• Visits must be scheduled. To arrange a visit, please call 217.239.5219 for West Green House residents, 217.239.5214 for East Green House residents or 217.239.6343 for Meadowbrook Health Center.  Please leave a message if no one answers your call.  We will call you back.
• Green House visitors may park in the designated spots north of the Green House homes. Green House visits take place with residents on the patio and visitors on the sidewalk, communicating through our patio fence. It is recommended that visitors bring a lawn chair and an umbrella for shade. Residents are protected from the sun by an umbrella within the patio.  
• Visiting hours are between 9:30am-12:00 pm, 2:00pm-5:00pm and 6:00pm-6:30pm Monday-Sunday for Green House residents.
• The length of the visits are 30 minutes for Green House residents, and will start on the hour and half hour. 
• Meadowbrook Health Center visitors may park in the designated resident visiting area that is marked outside the entrance to Meadowbrook Health Center off of Race Street.  Visitors are to park in the designated visitor parking area.
• Meadowbrook health Center visiting hours are between 10:00am - 5:00pm Monday-Saturday.
• The length of the visits are 20 minutes for Meadowbrook health Center residents and will start on the hour and half hour.
• All visitors will be screened via phone by a Meadowbrook staff member who will be using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) symptoms checklist not more than 24 hours in advance of your scheduled visit
• Visitors will also need to be screened in person upon arrival to the campus utilizing the same symptom list as well as having your temperature taken.  That screening will occur at the employee entrance which is very near the designated parking space or you may be screened at the Clark-Lindsey main entrance and then drive to the parking lot off of Race Street.
• You will be given a colored dot to wear which will signify that you have been through the screening station and passed and are allowed to visit
• Both the visitors and the resident shall wear face coverings (mask) throughout the duration of the visit
• After the visit is over, a staff member will take the resident inside 
• Visits will be cancelled or stopped if weather does not safely permit visitors and residents to be outside
• Any visitor who does not follow the rules and guidelines as outlined and stated shall be asked to leave the visiting area and the outdoor visit will be stopped and the resident returned inside 

You may call Meadowbrook Health Center or the Green House Homes for updates on the status of your loved one. We will contact you if your loved one is suspected or diagnosed with COVID-19. Updates will be provided weekly, or each subsequent time a confirmed infection of COVID-19 is identified and/or whenever three or more residents or staff members with new onset of respiratory symptoms occurs within 72 hours. 

 

STAFF REQUIREMENTS

All employees are required to wear masks. Prior to the start of their shift, all employees are screened for signs and symptoms of COVID, including having their temperatures taken. This process is repeated midway through their shift for those employees working 4 or more hours. Staff are required to wash their hands upon entering the building. Additional break rooms have been established so that staff may maximize their time on their unit. Staff who work in the isolation unit of Meadowbrook Health Center change into Clark-Lindsey provided scrubs when they arrive for duty, and change back into their street clothes before they leave.

Questions?
If you have any questions, or are a family member interested in receiving regular email updates related to COVID-19, please email us at Residential retire@clark-lindsey.com or call the front desk at 344-2144.

Click HERE to see the measures that Clark-Lindsey has previously taken.

Minimum Safety Protocol Required for All Individuals

• Maintain at least 6-8 feet separation from other individuals not within the same household
• All residents are recommended to wear a face covering (over the nose and mouth) while outside the home, as tolerated. While a face covering is not required outdoors, it is recommended if feasible and tolerable. A cloth face covering is recommended when in the presence of any other person not within the same household while indoors.
• Routine cleanliness and hand sanitation should be rigorously practiced. Wash or disinfect hands upon leaving home and after any interaction with others or 'high touch' surfaces-- even while practicing social distancing. Make sure to wash your hands upon your return home too.
• Self-screen for any of the following symptoms of possible COVID-19 before leaving your home. If you experience any of these symptoms , stay home. If the symptoms are unusual for you, more severe than usual or worsening, stay home and contact Resident Services through the front desk 217-344-2144:

1. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
2. Chills
3. Repeated shaking with chills
4. Muscle pain
5. Headache
6. Sore throat
7. Loss of taste or smell
8. Diarrhea
9. Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit or 2 degrees above your normal temp
10. Known close contact with a person who is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19

What to Do If You Don't Feel Well

If you have new signs or symptoms, please stay in your home and call the Front Desk so that Resident Services can follow-up with you. Do not leave your home if you are not feeling well. Please call 911 in an emergency. 

In addition to reporting new signs or symptoms to Resident Services, below are some useful COVID hotlines to call. Each of them will help you to decide what steps to take next, and all are recommending that you call either your provider or the hotline BEFORE arriving at the clinic or hosptial. 

• Carle                                                                                 217.902.6100

Patients should call the COVID-19 Hotline to be assessed and directed to the appropriate location for care. Your provider may address many health needs by phone or virtual visits in accordance with social distancing best practice. All Carle Emergency Departments remain open for people needing immediate care for life-threatening emergencies. 

• Christie Clinic           

Patients with questions or concerns or who want to inquire about testing are asked to call their provider's office. Christie Clinic Curbside Convenient Care is also open at 1801 West Windsor Road, Champaign. 

• OSF                                                                                    833.673.5669

The COVID-19 Nurse Hotline is staffed by OSF registered nurses around the clock. OSF SilverCloud is an online platform available at http://osfhealthcare.org/silvercloud, available to help manage stress, anxiety and depression. OSF HealthCare is offering video visits for those who prefer to see their physician from the comfort of their home. 

• Champaign-Urbana Public Health District           217.239.7877

​CUPHD's COVID hotline is available seven days a week between the hours of 8am and 5pm. If you do not reach a person, leave a voicemail that includes your name and phone number with a brief message.

• IDPH                                                                                   800.889.3931

​General information, how to protect yourself, what to do if exposed to someone with COVID-19.