Dear residents, staff, families and supporters,

With the ongoing concerns and surge of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, we wanted to give you an update of the status at Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community.

As of today, we continue to test staff twice a week and when any staff request to be tested due to new onset of symptoms. There have been staff, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, test positive in the past week. For the most part, we are catching staff prior to working.

Residents are also being tested regularly. As of today, there are no residents who have tested positive.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court supported mandating the vaccination of health care workers or meet specific criteria for medical and religious exemptions in order to receive Medicare and Medicaid funding.

Bartels staff members are currently 83% vaccinated. Our human resources department will be communicating to staff requesting exemptions or who have not been vaccinated by January 19 on individual information.

The community transmission rate is high. I need everyone to do their part by wearing masks and not visiting if you have any symptoms. Please see the attached guidelines.

All of us at Bartels appreciate your continued support and understanding as we strive to carry out our mission: Enriching lives through quality services and Christian care.

Sincerely,

Paula Geise, RN, MSN, CEO

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