A former Ponca City Nursing and Rehabilitation resident tested positive for COVID-19 (Coronavirus) on Tuesday, March 17.
Over the weekend, the said resident was discharged from the nursing home and sent to a local hospital after experiencing symptoms. The resident is not expected to return to the nursing facility and is expected to be released from the hospital into the care of family. One other resident of the facility, who was in close contact with the affected resident, has been tested for COVID-19. The test results are not yet available.
Like every other Oklahoma nursing facility, Ponca City Nursing and Rehabilitation is taking heightened precautions to protect their residents, in accordance with guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Oklahoma State Department of Health. These measures include restricting non-medically necessary visitation to the facility, ending communal dining and group activities in the facility, screening staff for fevers and symptoms of COVID-19 prior to every shift, and screening all current residents twice per day for symptoms.
Oklahoma’s skilled nursing facilities will continue their policy of barring non-medically necessary visitation. Staff at different facilities are working on making teleconference technology like FaceTime available to residents wishing to visit with loved ones.
As of Wednesday evening, 29 Oklahomans have tested postive for COVID-19. Two in Kay County.
Below are a few bulletin points to help prevent individuals from catching COVID-19
