COVID-19 CASES AT FOCUSED CARE AT BRENHAM
Nineteen residents and staff members at Focused Care at Brenham have recently tested positive for COVID-19.
A statement Thursday from the nursing home said ten residents who tested positive have been transferred to Focused Care at Baytown, two residents were transferred to Kruse Village’s COVID unit, and one resident was admitted to Baylor Scott and White Medical Center in College Station. Another resident who tested positive but is asymptomatic returned home to family to quarantine.
Five staff members tested positive, and they are all quarantining off site. Two of the five were not vaccinated during the first two vaccination clinics at the nursing home, held on January 7th and January 28th, and are symptomatic. Another team member who tested positive received both doses of the vaccine and is not showing symptoms. The other two team members who tested positive each had one dose of the vaccine and are showing mild symptoms.
The third vaccine clinic was scheduled and postponed during the severe winter weather, and was held on Thursday.
The statement said there are currently no Focused Care at Brenham residents or staff members on site who have tested positive for COVID-19.
The nursing home began outbreak testing as the result of a newly admitted resident becoming symptomatic and testing positive. The outbreak testing, which occurs every three to four days and is required by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), will continue until no positive tests are returned in 14 days. At that time, the facility will continue its policy to test twice a week. During this time, care providers are also required to wear N95 masks in place of surgical masks.
Focused Care said it continues to update the HHSC daily in reference to test results and the residents and staff members who tested positive, and remains in close contact with the providers caring for their positive residents. It also said it will continue operating with the same safeguards in place prior to Governor Greg Abbott’s latest executive order until new guidance is shared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
KWHI is attempting to clarify how many residents at Focused Care at Brenham have been vaccinated.