March 19^th, 2021

Morris Health Services is now testing monthly due to county positivity. We will continue to test residents and employees if they show signs or symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. Morris Health Services continues to follow all recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

• West Wind Village – WWV is open to indoor visits. WWV will continue essential caregiver visits. All visits must be scheduled 24 hours in advance Monday-Friday (8am-3pm) and visitors will be required to have a negative COVID test. Please contact Katlyn at 320-589-7960 for more information. 

• Skyview Senior Living – All visits must be scheduled 24 hours in advance Monday-Friday (8am-4pm) and visitors will be required to have a negative COVID test prior to their visit. Visits can we scheduled with Sophie at 320-589-4582.

We are very excited to share the news that state and federal agencies that previously limited visitation in our setting have now issued guidance on how we can relax visitation restrictions and continue to protect the health of our residents and staff. As a result, we can safely open our doors to visitors. Additionally, those residents who are fully vaccinated will be able to come and go without the need to quarantine upon return and may receive a visitor in their private room.

If a resident is fully vaccinated, they can now choose to have close contact (including touch) with their visitor while wearing a well-fitting face mask and performing proper hand-hygiene before and after. Visitors are still required to physically distance from other residents and staff throughout our care center and not socialize in hallways or common areas.

Please note that screening is still required of all visitors and employees but you will see changes in how this is performed.  We ask that you please complete the screening at the entrance to our building which will require a temperature check and attestation of 2-3 questions.

While visitation is continuing to expand under the federal and state changes, there are still a few distinct exceptions: 

• No indoor visits are allowed for unvaccinated residents if our county positivity rate is >10% or in the “red zone.”
• No indoor visits are allowed for residents with a confirmed COVID-19 infection, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, until they have met the criteria to discontinue transmission-based precautions.
• No indoor visits are allowed for residents in quarantine, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, until they have met criteria for release from quarantine.

We deeply appreciate the sacrifices you made to limit the impact of COVID-19 on our community and your patience as we continue to navigate the altering guidelines imposed by the state and federal agencies. Our entire team looks forward to seeing you again! Family, friends and volunteers are core to what makes our community so special.

Please follow our Facebook page (@Morris Health Services & @Skyview Senior Living) or our website (www.mhs.sfhs.org) for all COVID updates and information on what is happening inside our care center. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Paula at 320-589-7900, if you have any questions or concerns.