Visits on Hold at Gardenside and Cedarwood

All tenants and staff are being tested

Visits are on hold at JCH&L Gardenside and Cedarwood after a positive COVID-19 case was identified at Cedarwood.

On Monday, all Cedarwood tenants and staff were being tested for COVID-19 to allow the facility to mitigate any potential spread.

Families of all Cedarwood tenants have been contacted, as is required by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. DHHS requires nursing homes and assisted living staff to notify family members about any positive test result associated with the facility.

Family visits at both Cedarwood and Gardenside will be put on hold at this time, said Deb Sutton, RN, BSN, Gardenside and Cedarwood administrator.

“Our first priority is to the safety of our tenants and residents,” Sutton said. “By testing all Cedarwood tenants and staff at this time, our goal is to stop a potential outbreak at Cedarwood before it starts.”

Jefferson Community Health & Life encourages everyone to take proper precautions against the spread of COVID-19: Mask when in public places; maintain 6 feet of social distancing; wash your hands and sanitize surfaces regularly; and if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 call JCH&L at 402-729-3351 to find out whether you should be tested. Testing is available by order of our medical providers if you have any symptoms or a possible exposure.

Testing is also available every Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. through Test Nebraska outside the front entrance of JCH&L. Registration is through TestNebraska.com. Register at TestNebraska.com, and you will be notified if you are eligible to be tested in the program and you can make a reservation on line.

The CDC states that people with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms, which may appear 2-14 days after exposure. Symptoms include (but are not limited to): fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and/or diarrhea.