St. Ann’s Preparing As COVID-19 Restrictions Lighten

DULUTH, Minn.– St. Ann’s Residence in downtown Duluth knows all too well the tragic effects the Coronavirus can have on a living care facility. It had its own outbreak in April that took the lives of 11 residents.

It has been over two months since St. Ann’s had almost 30 cases of COVID-19. The fear of another spike is still out there as restrictions for facilities loosen.

Leadership and staff say they are working hard to protect the 110 residents at the facility, which is currently COVID-19 free.

If a case were to come back to St. Ann’s, the emergency preparedness plan used before will be largely the same, likely without as many parties involved. Essentia Health and the St. Ann’s Medical Director were a big help in getting staff up to speed on screening, testing, and checking for symptoms.

Scott Johnson is the executive director at St. Ann’s. He said that being through a COVID outbreak before will help them better handle another one if it were to come up again.

“The shock value maybe wouldn’t be the same. Nobody really knew what was going to happen that first time or maybe even to the life threatening extent of what COVID can be,” said Scott Johnson, Executive Director at St. Ann’s. “I would just think we move quicker and faster just having the experience.”

Leadership at St. Ann’s say that if a single case were to come up again there, they would not instantly restrict things like outdoor visits because of the way they are able to distance residents. They would do so if another outbreak would happen again.

St. Ann’s is feeling good about the lightened restrictions, adding that they are glad residents have the opportunity to see their families again after months of isolation. Staff also says they are feeling good and so do the residents at the facility.