Third skilled nursing employee tests positive for COVID-19 in SLO County
A third employee of a San Luis Obispo County licensed skilled nursing facility in tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, according to Compass Health CEO Darren Smith.
According to Smith, the employee works at Danish Care Center in Atascadero, one of Compass Health’s seven facilities.
“The employee, a certified nursing assistant, called in sick on Monday for the night shift with the primary symptom being a sore throat,” Smith said in a news release. “The employee was told to not report for work, was sent for testing and the result came back positive.”
According to the release, residents and staff who came in contact with the nursing assistant are being tested for coronavirus.
At a San Luis Obispo County news briefing Wednesday, Smith said that no residents at any Compass Health facilities have tested positive for the virus. Compass Health cares for around 600 residents, he said.
“Compass was early to adopt CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Smith said. “We have worked closely with state and local health officials, advocating for our population.”
Along with a no in-person visitation policy, Compass Health provides employees with protective personal equipment and conduct employee health screenings and temperature checks at the door, Smith said.
“The fact that this employee was turned away before reporting to the facility demonstrates that our safety precautions that are in place are functioning well,” he said in the release.
The case at Atascadero’s Danish Care Center came about three weeks after two employees at Vineyard Hills Health Center in Templeton tested positive for coronavirus.
The first employee case was reported April 24.
Following the case, the county Public Health Department conducted tests for all residents and employees and a second employee tested positive.
The second case had no known contact with the first worker who tested positive for the virus, according to Compass Health.
This story was originally published May 21, 2020 at 10:06 AM.
