COVID-19 Update 10.27.20
Dear Rimland Families,
Illinois is confronting a second wave of rising COVID-19infection rates. Illinois officials announced its time to revert to earlier lockdown levels in parts of the state. For now, we are suspending the indoor visits at the main office. We will continue to evaluate best practices and give you an update in the next few weeks. We will remain vigilante and stay on guard to protect, to the best of our ability, the Rimland Family.
Due in large measure to our shared commitment to safety, we will continue the 14 day home visit schedule. However, we request that your loved one receive a COVID-19 test prior to returning. This extra measure will prevent a more restrictive safety protocol. Please contact our Health and Wellness Department (Samina Rahim and Barbara Cooper) for locations near you.
The tougher restrictions come as the state reported more than 32,000 new coronavirus cases in the past seven days, the second highest number of infections in all U.S. states and territories, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A project that Rimland is working on now is to become an accredited lab to administer COVID-19 tests. We just submitted an application to the Department of Health and Human Services. We are working with two Rimland parents who are physicians to obtain the Abbott Binax rapid test (also looking at other options). We hope this will be able to ease home visit restrictions.
We are also in communication with Evanston Public Health Department and Omnicare regarding vaccination assistance once approved by the FDA. Please let us know what you would like to do about having your loved one vaccinated. We are working with our legal team on mandated vaccinations for all employees.
Although this is a trying time, we are making this week fun for the individuals we support. We have a pumpkin patch that we have erected in the fenced in area of the main building. Each home is coming this week (no homes are co-mingling and the area is sanitized immediately following each group). Everyone is enjoying apple cider and donuts at the pumpkin patch. On Saturday, Halloween day, we are having pizza parties at each home. We will be sending pictures of the festivities and we will always make sure that your loved one will be aware and celebrate holidays as we get through this very stressful time.
Be safe!