We want to provide an update on an exposure to COVID-19 within our Friendship Village of South Hills community. We learned on Thursday, October 7 and Wednesday, October 6 that two of our team members have tested positive for the virus. These are our only team member active cases, and both are self-isolating at home with the support of our HR team. At this time, we have three resident active cases of the virus: one Health Center resident and two Memory Care in Assisted Living residents. One of the Memory Care residents is being cared for in Memory Care in Assisted Living, while the Health Center resident and the other Memory Care resident are being cared for in the hospital.
As a precaution, visitation to the Health Center will be suspended until universal testing has been completed. As of now, the soonest that visitation could resume would be 14 days from now.
If you are identified as having had prolonged contact with any individuals who test positive for COVID-19, you have already been contacted by our management team and instructed to self-quarantine for 14 days, per the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Allegheny County Health Department, and the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Pittsburgh Field Office.
It is important to note that even fully vaccinated persons are still able to contract and transmit the COVID-19 virus. The vaccines are not 100% fool-proof, but they do reduce your chances of contracting the virus and if you do, the symptoms are usually quite mild.
We continue with our commitment to protect the health and safety of our residents and team members, and our team continues to be proactive in mitigating the risk of further exposure to the virus within our community.
How Residents and Team Members Can Help
- Leave the community only for essential needs like groceries or critical medical appointments.
- Practice social distancing.
- Wear a mask or face covering when interacting with others in public settings.
- Wash your hands often or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
We appreciate your support and continued adherence to the protocols we have implemented to protect our residents and team members. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Friendship Village of South Hills management team.
Thank you.