A case of COVID-19, the illness resulting from the novel coronavirus, has been detected in a staff memberof Birch Bay Retirement Village.

“The staff member is in isolation at home. We have notified public health officials as required and are following all procedures recommended by the Centers for Disease Controland Prevention,” said Peter Sullivan, Executive Director. “We are taking every step recommended by our state and federal agencies to contain the spread. We want to make residents, their families, our dedicated staff, and our community aware and reassure everyone that we are proactively addressing thesituation.”

Birch Bay Retirement Village has been closely monitoring the novel coronavirus since its onset and has been working with Mount Desert Island Hospital, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Human Health and Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to ensure that the highest standards of protective measures are in place and that all recommended safety protocols and procedures have beenfollowed.

At the recommendation of the CDC, all Birch Bay Retirement Village staff members were tested for COVID-19 between May 12 and May 14. As the results of this proactive testing became available, Birch Bay Village was notified that one residential care staff member had tested positive. That staff member is being isolated at home. All residents who had potential contact with the staff member were tested and all had negative results.To date, this staff member’s positive result was the only positive test out of the 60 staff members and 30 residents tested.

“We are continuing to monitor our residents to ensure that they remain safe and protected during this evaluation period,” said Sullivan. “We have also contacted all staff who we believe may have come into close contact with this staff member and we will be working closely with CDC on continued contact tracing.” All staff members who have had close contact with this positive staff member have been asked to immediately test again. How and when those staff members will be returning to work will be managed in accordance with CDC guidelines.

“The safety, health and wellbeing of our residents, our community and our staff have always been our number one priority,” said Sullivan. “We will remain vigilant in our efforts to address the novel coronavirus in accordance to the guidelines of our state and federal agencies.”

About Birch Bay Retirement Village

A retirement community serving Bar Harbor, Maine since 2003, Birch Bay Retirement Village employs 60 staff members and cares for a community of 90 residents. The campus is comprised of 20 retirement cottages and an Inn serving residents of 22 independent living apartments licensed as Assisted Living, and 32 licensed Residential Care suites providing care for those who require supported living and memory care.

The mission of Birch Bay Retirement Village in Bar Harbor, Maine, a not-for-profit corporation, is to maintain a creative and exciting continuing care community that enriches the freedom of retirement while easing the challenges of aging.

For more information and the latest updates on our community, visit www.birchbayvillage.us.