Trinity Oaks health and rehab in Salisbury continues to battle Covid-19. After holding the line for five months, the number of cases continued to rise and Trinity Oaks is now reporting that 39 residents and 28 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19.
“We are working hard to contain the virus, which is confined to one of three separate neighborhoods in the health and rehab building,” said Bill Johnson, Trinity Oaks campus executive director. “We are very aware of how easily this virus can spread and we are taking every precaution we can to limit further exposures.”
On August 11, all Trinity Oaks health and rehab staff members and residents were tested, with no tests coming back positive for COVID-19. Trinity Oaks had an infection control survey June 4 and was declared deficiency-free.
Earlier in the pandemic, several Trinity Oaks health and rehab staff members tested positive: one in April, one in July, and one in early August. In those instances, Trinity Oaks was able to prevent spread of the disease, said Matt Beam, administrator for Trinity Oaks health and rehab.
“Unfortunately, outbreaks in congregate care settings are likely to occur when communities are seeing large numbers of cases,” said Lutheran Services Carolinas President Ted Goins.
“We have been steeling for a spike in cases like this for five months, knowing that we could be doing everything right and still experience an outbreak,” Goins added. “Our hearts go out to our residents and teammates fighting the virus and to our teammates who have been working so hard and under such enormous pressure to care for our residents.”
Testing for residents and staff will continue, and Trinity Oaks will continue to follow infection control and isolation protocols. “We are working closely with the Rowan County Health Department and follow their guidance as always,” Johnson said.
