COVID-19 Update
At American Health Partners, our highest priority is to safely care for and protect residents, patients, visitors and staff in AHC-American Health Communities, Unity Psychiatric Care hospitals and all other division locations. We are taking every possible precaution to prevent COVID-19 infections by following the latest CDC guidelines for screening, testing, infection control and vaccinations.
Visitation
Click here for visitation status of all AHC communities.
All AHC and Unity Psychiatric Care locations are following visitation guidelines mandated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Currently, CMS allows nursing homes to offer in-person visits and certain communal resident activities if it has been free of COVID-19 cases among staff and residents for 14 consecutive days.
Many of our facilities have met the CMS guidelines and are scheduling visits with residents and patients by appointment. However, if the county positivity rate for COVID-19 is above 10%, visits may be restricted to outdoor visits or compassionate care situations only. Contact your local AHC facility to find out its current visitation availability and processes.
Vaccine Administration and FAQ
American Health Partners has held free vaccination clinics for AHC residents, patients and staff and provides vaccines for new patients and team members, as requested. We also continue to offer free vaccines to personnel at all other divisions. Below are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the COVID-19 vaccines. For more details, visit the CDC website.
Who should get the COVID-19 vaccine?
CDC recommends everyone 5 years and older should get a COVID-19 vaccination to help protect against COVID-19. Widespread vaccination is the smartest, safest way to protect yourself and the people you care about from getting severely sick if contracting COVID-19. The CDC also advises booster shots for individuals age 65 and older at 6 months or more after completing their initial series of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. Other groups eligible for a booster shot include anyone age 18+ who lives in a long-term care setting or who has underlying medical conditions or who works or live in high-risk environment.
Are you providing COVID-19 booster shots?
Yes. Starting in November 2021 we began providing booster shots to residents, patients and staff at all our facilities. Everyone will have had an opportunity to receive a booster by the end of November. Booster shots will continue to be available on an as-needed basis.
If I have already had COVID-19, do I still need to get the vaccine?
Yes. Health experts recommend that to best protect yourself from reinfection with COVID-19, you should receive one of the vaccines approved by the FDA. It’s still unclear how long a person’s immunity may last after recovering from COVID-19.
Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe?
COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. COVID-19 vaccines were evaluated in tens of thousands of participants in clinical trials. The vaccines met the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality. As of November 4, the CDC reports that about 222.6 million people in the U.S, or 67% of our total population, have received at least one dose of vaccine.These vaccines have undergone and will continue to undergo the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history.
*If you have additional questions please email: VaccineQuestions@AmHealthPartners.com
Ongoing Protocols
We are continuing to follow infection prevention and control measures recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). These protocols include testing, isolating and treating any resident who contracts COVID-19. Our staff is well prepared to provide the best treatment possible, while also stopping the virus from spreading to other residents or staff. Some of the actions we have implemented include:
- Temperature screenings for fever are required for anyone seeking to enter our facilities.
- Testing all new patients and residents for COVID-19 and keeping those individuals isolated until test results are returned, usually within 24-48 hours.
- Frequent disinfection of frequently touched surfaces.
- Maintaining social distance and mask wearing, as needed.
- Emphasizing proper hand washing and sneeze and cough etiquette.
- Maintaining an adequate supply of personal protective equipment, including masks, gloves, etc.
- Requiring staff to remain at home if they have any symptoms of an illness or have a family member with symptoms or exposure.
- Notifying families within 12 hours of confirming any new case of COVID-19 in our community, while continuing to protect patient and staff privacy.
More Information Sources
Tennessee COVID-19 Public Information Hotlines:
833-556-2476 & 877-857-2945
Available 10 AM – 10 PM CST Daily
Alabama COVID-19 24/7 Hotline:
888-264-2256
Call for testing sites and hours of operation.