May 14, 2020

Dear Families and Friends,

As you may know, Governor Murphy recently directed widespread COVID-19 surveillance testing of residents and staff of long term care facilities. Surveillance testing is different from diagnostic testing in that it is designed primarily to detect the occurrence and prevent the spread of the virus. For this reason, testing is required regardless of symptoms or exposure risk.

The NJ Department of Health has ordered that all residents and staff are to be tested by May 26th. This is called “baseline testing”. For those who test negative, re-testing will be required within 3-7 days. Any staff who test positive will quarantine at home until such time that CDC guidance determines it is safe to return to work.

As you can see, this means that we will be conducting a large number of tests in a short period of time. Of course, we will keep you informed if the test results indicate a change in your loved one’s condition or if a room change is required based on the test results. As you may know, our center is currently using a system of grouping patients based on COVID-19 status. Each group is called a “cohort” and staff are assigned to a specific cohort zone inside the building.

We will work to minimize any disruption as much as possible. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns about the testing program. Our CareOne Family Hotline number is available 24/7 to answer your questions.