Century Park Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19

Michelle Pinon News Advertiser

“We can’t let our guard down,” stated Vegreville Town Councillor Marielle Brodziak during the Oct. 6 Legislative Committee Meeting.

Brodziak was referring to COVID-19, and went on to say, an employee of a seniors’ facility in Vegreville had tested positive for the virus. She also said the numbers would not be included in the number of case counts for Vegreville as the employee resides outside of the town.

“One staff member at Century Park tested positive for COVID-19 on October 2,” confirmed Melissa Ballantyne, Manager of Central Zone AHS Communications & Community Engagement.

Ballantyne added, “Proper personal protective Equipment (PPE) was in place during the staff member’s time in the facility prior to them isolating at home and going for testing. The risk of exposure to others is considered low. There have been no additional cases at the site.

As a precaution, a number of additional measures were implemented through the site’s pandemic response plan and with the guidance of Alberta Health Services’ Medical Officer of Health (MOH).

Such measures, including proactive swabbing of all staff and residents, temporary visitor restrictions and postponing all group activities for residents, are over and above the precautions.

Optima Living has had in place throughout the pandemic to try and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Alberta Health Services remains in close contact with our partners at Century Park to monitor the situation. The health and safety of residents and staff are a shared priority and AHS will continue to support our continuing care partners like Optima Living during these difficult times.

Continuous masking of staff and visitors – once restrictions are lifted – will continue, as will regular screening of staff and residents for COVID-19 symptoms. Visitors will also continue to complete a screening prior to entering the facility.”