To our Residents, Families, Staff, and Community:
As part of our ongoing commitment to the safety and well-being of our residents and staff members, we are providing another COVID-19 update. We will continue to provide weekly COVID-19 updates in the following weeks as well. In the event that we have a staff member or resident test positive for COVID-19, we will provide an additional update by the close of business the next day. As of today, Birmingham Green has no confirmed positive COVID-19 cases across campus.
We are aware of the Thursday, November 4, 2021 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcement requiring staff vaccinations within long-term care facilities who participate with Medicare and Medicaid. All eligible staff members must have received the necessary shots to be fully vaccinated – either two doses of Pfizer or Moderna, or one dose of Johnson & Johnson – by January 4, 2022. In October, Birmingham Green implemented a mandatory vaccination policy, requiring COVID-19 vaccination(s) for all staff members, contractors, volunteers, and externs to the extent allowed by law. At this time across our campus, a majority of our residents and team members have been fully vaccinated. In addition, over the past month, we have administered the Pfizer COVID-19 booster vaccines for all eligible residents and team members who provided consent.
CMS has provided updated guidance on visitation. Appointments will no longer be required to visit across campus. Suggested visitation times are between the hours of 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. If a visitor arrives outside of these hours and the front door is locked, we ask that they call the Nurse Supervisor whose phone number is posted on the front door to assist. We will continue to request that residents have no more than two visitors at a time to maintain physical distancing recommendations. Guests will be escorted to and from the resident’s room. If a resident’s roommate is unvaccinated or immunocompromised (regardless of vaccination status), visits may occur in an alternate room. With the substantial level of COVID-19 community transmission in our surrounding area, we will require all individuals to wear a mask and keep six feet physically distant while on campus, regardless of vaccination status, during visitation. We will continue to monitor the level of community transmission of COVID-19 in our local area and make adjustments as needed. Hand washing will be encouraged before and after your visit. We ask guests to stay home if they are ill or have recently been ill.
Due to the CMS updated guidance, effective Friday, November 19, the visitation calendar will be discontinued. If you have questions on how to reserve a private visitation room, please contact your loved one’s building administrator or social worker.
Visitors who have been vaccinated for COVID-19 can provide proof of vaccination to our Front Desk, which will document their status in a confidential logbook. Visitors who provide proof of vaccination will not be requested to get tested for COVID-19 upon arrival, but our screening process will continue to include a non-contact temperature check. If visitors have not been vaccinated or are unable to verify their vaccination, we will request a COVID-19 test to be completed upon arrival.
COVID-19 testing for Birmingham Green staff members occurs once per week. Residents who test positive for COVID-19 or may have been exposed to the virus are isolated for 10 days. Full PPE is worn when working with residents who are assumed to be or test positive for COVID-19. We are continuing to follow CDC recommendations and all staff members will continue to wear the appropriate PPE and masks, as well as perform proper infection control measures and stringent cleaning protocols.
Birmingham Green will be hosting a Community Food Drive throughout the month of November. Non-perishable food items can be dropped off at the reception areas across campus at the Health Care Center (Nursing Home) and Willow Oaks Assisted Living. All proceeds will be delivered to the Northern Virginia Family Services (SERVE) campus located in Manassas, VA. We will also be hosting a Holiday Parade on Saturday, December 11, 2021, at 11 a.m. For more information, please see the attached flyers.
We encourage you to visit birminghamgreen.org to get the latest information or recorded updates via our dedicated COVID-19 phone line — (703) 257-6282. We remain committed to the safety and well-being of our residents and staff members, and we thank you for your patience during this challenging time.
Our residents are at the center of all that we do. Their safety and the safety of our staff will always be our priority.
Denise Chadwick Wright
Chief Executive Officer