February 20, 2022

Dear Families and Friends,

I am happy to share with you an update of the situation here at our Home. As you are aware, during the past few weeks we had been doing facility-wide testing of our staff, the Residents in the nursing units, and Sisters. I am happy to share that all the Residents have tested negative for five consecutive weeks. The recommended time to quarantine for the few who were exposed to a positive staff member has also ended. We really wish to give a shout-out in gratitude for all our staff who worked very diligently to contain this virus. Their hard work has not gone unnoticed.

After consulting with the Epidemiology team of D.C. Health, we were informed that our Home is now considered to be in a no outbreak phase and may follow the applicable guidance from DC Health.

We will continue to monitor our Residents every shift, do risk-based testing, and/or will only test symptomatic staff or Residents.

Here is a summary of DC Health recommendations for facilities no outbreak phase:

• weekly facility-wide/contact trace-based Resident and staff testing is no longer required.
• although co-mingling of nursing and 2^nd floor Residents is still suspended, the following activities may resume:
  • limited communal dining
  • non-essential medical visits
  • non-medical personal care services
  • Resident outings and field trips

  It is also recommended that all Residents and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, continue to follow the core principles of infection control — masking, social distancing and frequent hand hygiene.

  Although the mask mandate in the DC area has been reduced, it unfortunately does not yet apply to health care facilities. We kindly ask for your cooperation in respecting our inhouse mandate to wear a face mask at all times throughout the duration of your visit and in remaining in the designated visitation areas. If possible, please refrain from providing food during your visit. Our only goal is to protect and prevent the Residents from exposure to COVID and subsequent quarantining.

  Thank you for your continued assistance and efforts to keep our Jeanne Jugan community safe and healthy. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact Daisy Alzate, DON or Sister Alphonse Marie. We will update you with further information as it becomes available.

  The last piece of news I’d like to share is more personal. I will begin my new assignment in our Home in Newark, Delaware in a few weeks and will leave Jeanne Jugan Residence in March. After nearly 10 years of service here in Washington, I wish to personally thank you for your continued support, kindness, and generosity to our Home, especially during this time of pandemic. Please be assured of my prayers for each of you and would kindly ask you to remember me in prayer as well.

  God bless you!

  Mother Mary Michael

  Previous Updates:
  January 12, 2022
  January 8, 2022
  December 28, 2021
  October 2, 2021
  September 13, 2021
  September 9, 2021
  August 30, 2021
  August 27, 2021
  May 20, 2021
  May 6, 2021
  April 14, 2021
  April 8, 2021
  April 2, 2021
  March 11, 2021
  February 18, 2021
  January 25, 2021
  January 8, 2021
  December 31, 2020
  December 24, 2020
  November 18, 2020
  November 2, 2020
  October 8, 2020
  September 15, 2020
  August 17, 2020
  July 19, 2020
  June 24, 2020
  June 8, 2020
  May 28, 2020
  May 21, 2020
  May 12, 2020
  May 5, 2020
  April 28, 2020
  April 22, 2020
  April 14, 2020

  *****
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