Dear Residents and Families of Birch Bay Retirement Village,

Today we have identified that a second resident of the Safe Harbor neighborhood at Birch Bay Retirement Village has tested positive for COVID-19. Subsequent testing of all other residents in Safe Harbor has resulted in negative tests. We are taking all precautions to mitigate the spread of COVID to our Safe Harbor residents which include additional cleaning procedures, the use of N95’s and surveillance testing.

According to the CDC & State guidelines, the Safe Harbor Neighborhood still remains open to visitation but if you do choose to visit, we ask you to visit only in your loved one’s suite and remain masked at all times. This means we would ask you not to gather in the Safe Harbor common areas such as the dining room or living room.

Please do your part and remain vigilant. We ask families to not visit the Birch Bay community if you have even extremely mild cold symptoms, are unvaccinated and not boosted, or may have had contact with someone experiencing cold symptoms. Many who are testing positive who are vaccinated and boosted are asymptomatic or experiencing very mild symptoms and would otherwise not know that they are carrying COVID-19.

If you have tested positive and have recently visited a loved one at Birch Bay, please let us know.

If you are a resident and feeling unwell, please press your Lifeline button and alert Health Services staff.

The health of our residents and staff remains our biggest priority. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Julie Ireland, RN, Director of Health & Resident Services, Birch Bay Retirement Village