Westminster Canterbury Richmond Coronavirus Preparedness and Response

Westminster Canterbury Richmond wants to assure you that we are well prepared to respond to Coronavirus. A Coronavirus Task Force comprised of staff from various departments began meeting last week to review existing policies and procedures related to infectious diseases and to plan for other concerns. Our existing infection control policies and procedures will guide us as we work to prevent the spread of infection and control it as necessary.

The first coronavirus case in central Virginia was reported Wednesday morning in a press conference held by Governor Northam. Officials say the Commonwealth’s ninth case comes from the Chickahominy Health District – a person from the Ashland area who traveled internationally. We do not have COVID-19 on our campus yet, but as a precaution, we are taking many steps to prevent it entering our doors.

Our best possible outcome is preventing spread of the virus to our campus. As the situation develops in our region, there are certain guidelines from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that we will be required to follow, so we want to update you on what you can expect in the coming days and weeks.

For the safety and health of all our residents and staff, we ask that you be our partners as we take the following precautions.

• Effective Thursday, March 12, Westminster Canterbury Richmond will be screening every person who enters the campus.
• Effective immediately, no outside visitors or guests are allowed to enter campus. We encourage you to stay connected with your loved ones via phone, video conferencing, email, social media and other means.
• No visitors, including Independent Living residents, will be allowed in Parsons Health Center and Assisted Living areas. Staff will be medically evaluated before being allowed to enter these areas.
• Effective immediately, outside vendors and contractors will be screened and are restricted from common areas.
• Memorial services will not be held on campus for the foreseeable future to limit outside guests.
• We will be suspending all large events on campus and make decisions about other activities and events in the coming days.
• Residents and employees are reporting travel plans so that they can be monitored upon their return to the region.
• Everyone is encouraged to continue practicing good infection control by washing your hands and using hand sanitizer; covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze; maintain “social distances” of around six feet from people who show symptoms; and avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. If you need medical care, please call ahead to your primary care physician.
• Updates on the latest developments will be shared here.

Thank you for your assistance as we work diligently to keep our campus safe and healthy. Our staff Coronavirus Task Force and leadership is meeting daily to address ongoing concerns. Our Medical Director, Director of Nursing and Infection Control Preventionist review Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and CMS updates several times each day. Our goal is to ensure we can all live life well, no matter the circumstances. We will share updates with you as we have them.