By Teri Knight, News Director
There has been a second lab-confirmed case of Covid-19 at the Northfield Retirement Community. CEO, Kyle Nordine, commented that they’ve been preparing for over 6 weeks following guidelines from the MDH, the CDC and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. Still, one of their residents in Cannon Valley Suites, which is part of their board and lodging assisted living facility, was diagnosed and now a second one in the same facility. Both have now been isolated. He added, “staff to date have no positive cases. We hope that we can contain the virus where we have it now and things will be alright in the long run”. The Dept. of Health determines whether the symptoms experienced by someone
should be tested. Nordine said, “interestingly enough, this particular individual actually had an original test done early in April and actually came back negative. So, it just goes to show how much this virus can hide itself”. Nordine said the 2nd person showed no signs of the disease. They still don’t know where the source came from. NRC has a Dept. of Health case manager, “which then our nursing personnel are then able to talk to those case managers every day to walk through a number of issues that are taking place, whether it’s a gain in symptoms, an expansion of those issues, infection control techniques, concerns about having personal protection equipment and enough of that for all of the staff”. They’ve been in contact every day. The NRC had an onsite inspection yesterday and were told they are ahead of the curve. For the most part, Nordine said, the rest of the residents feel that the NRC is doing everything they can to protect them. Those in the Care Center are isolated for their protection, however they’re able to visit with family via iPads. Nordine said they’re providing in-room exercises through FiftyNorth. Those who are independent can leave the campus but are cautious. Nordine added, “we’re trying to keep it as normal as we can each and every day and provide as many opportunities to still have people do things in their room and their apartment as possible”. Nordine’s full interview is HERE.
Draheim wants to see production of drugs brought closer to home
There have been multiple drug laws in the legislature to combat the sky high prices. District 20 Sen. Rich Draheim commented on the latest involving price gouging. He said, “but part of the problem is the Federal government requires, for some of the medical assistance programs, to have rebates. So we’re kind of fighting ourselves”. The Epipen is a great example of price-gouging when they raised the price after being ordered to give rebates. The Senate passed the bill yesterday which requires drug companies to tell the government when they raise the price more than 10%. Draheim wants to see accountability and production here in the United States, adding, “a lot of the resources needed for testing or for drugs are all made overseas, most of them are made in China or India”. He’d like to see manufacturing in the Americas, whether that be the U.S, Canada or Mexico, “I would feel a lot more comfortable having more of our resources made more local than across the world”. He praised the companies that are working with the government to provide PPE’s as well as hand sanitizer and more. His full interview is HERE.
Sewers and supplies still wanted as Ness finds her niche
Northfielder Kathy Ness found her niche in activating a community to sew masks as well as curating funding, fabric and other supplies as well as sewers. Eighty of whom are creating the surgical wrap masks for the Northfield Hospital, making 1450 of them last week! Other sewers have made masks for our Assisted Living communities, law enforcement and many others. She said they need thread, cotton, elastic, more sewers and those who can deliver them. You can drop off those items at the front part of the Northfield Chamber of Commerce at 19 Bridge Square, look for the painted window. They ask that you please keep the area neat.
Canvas Church celebrates teachers
Canvas Church out of Dundas is picking up the bill for a thousand school staff members today. School staff must show their school ID badge to receive any medium drink for free from James Gang Coffeehouse & Eatery or The HideAway Vault. Executive Pastor, Lauren Cosgrove, said “At Canvas Church, we have a core value of generosity. Teachers haven’t been appreciated nearly enough this season, and we wanted to show them our overflowing appreciation”.
