Samaritan Keep Home Mask-Optional for Most Residents, Visitors, and Staff

Published on: June 16, 2023

Watertown, NY – On June 16, 2023, Samaritan Keep Home became a mask-optional facility for all staff, residents, and visitors under certain criteria. Samaritan Keep Home can now safely offer a mask-optional environment in the facility because they have no current COVID-positive cases at this time. However, if there is a community or facility uptick in COVID-19, Influenza, or other respiratory illnesses, we could return to wearing facemasks.
Because of the high-risk involved with our residents, there are some exceptions to this change. Masks will be required if the following occur:

• Local/county COVID-19 hospital admission levels are medium or high.
• Staff who have respiratory symptoms or exposure will be required to mask until they are cleared by our employee health caregivers.
• If there is a respiratory outbreak in a particular unit, all residents, staff, and visitors will be required to wear a mask in that area.
• Staff who do not have the Influenza vaccine will be required to wear a mask during flu season.
• Staff who are caring for residents with respiratory symptoms will be required to wear the appropriate mask during care of those residents.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend all staff members and visitors maintain vaccines and boosters and follow proper infection control practices.

It is important to note that COVID symptoms may include but are not limited to fever/chills, shortness of breath, sore throat, cough/congestion/runny nose, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Visitors who are not feeling well or have been in contact with anyone who tested positive for COVID-19 are encouraged to stay home and refrain from facility visitation. Hand hygiene is significant and will help stop the spread of germs. Please continue to wash hands and sanitize in our facility. Masks are available upon request and at the main entry point. Check-in and –out is required for all visitors through our visitor management system. Help us keep our high-risk long term care population healthy and safe.

On June 5, 2023, Samaritan Summit Village, our other long-term care campus, became a mask-optional facility for all staff, residents, and visitors under certain criteria.