Updates to the Timing of Retesting Recovered Staff and Residents
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Recovered staff and residents join the regular universal testing schedule
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Recovered staff and residents will only be tested after three months have passed since their initial negative test. The only exception is if a resident or staff develops symptoms. After three months pass, residents will resume their standard universal testing cadence of every two weeks and staff will resume their standard universal testing cadence, depending on department.
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Recovered staff and residents will only be tested after three months have passed since their initial negative test. The only exception is if a resident or staff develops symptoms. After three months pass, residents will resume their standard universal testing cadence of every two weeks and staff will resume their standard universal testing cadence, depending on department.
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No changes – recovered staff and residents will be tested as-needed through surveillance and contact investigation serial testing (also known as exposure testing) regardless how much time has elapsed since their recovery date.
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What this change means for LHH?
Recovered residents and staff will not be tested for three months after their recovery date, unless they develop COVID-19 symptoms. LHH has had 77 COVID-19 cases to-date and with our low-positive rate, thankfully this will not impact many staff or residents.
Why are we making these changes?
As we learn more about the virus, research has shown that individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 may have positive results on future tests because they are shedding dead, or inactive, virus. The inactive virus that is shed by persons who have recovered is incapable of transmitting the virus and infecting anyone. The current test used to diagnose COVID-19 infection cannot differentiate between live virus and dead virus. In retesting recovered persons too soon, we can have false positives and unnecessarily send staff back into self-isolation and residents back to the designated COVID-19 unit when they pose no risk to our community.
There is some thinking that once someone tests positive, they will develop antibodies and cannot become re-infected. We do not have nearly enough information about the virus and the human immune response to have a definitive answer so we will continue testing all LHH residents and staff through universal testing (including those who have recovered through the cadence described above) until we learn more about the virus.
Thank you for your continued adaptability. Please know that we will continue to make changes as we learn more to ensure our response to COVID-19 is most effective.
Please continue to help us fight this virus by social distancing, wearing a face covering, and washing your hands frequently. We ask that you stay the course with us: it is working, and it is saving lives.