Coronavirus (COVID-19)
June 2023
To our residents and their family and friends:
The Philadelphia Protestant Home (PPH) has been following the latest guidelines and requirements related to COVID masking for healthcare settings. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the COVID pandemic is no longer a global health emergency. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Philadelphia Department of Health (PDH) has removed the requirement that healthcare workers where masks while treating residents.
Considering these recent developments, PPH has revised its COVID-related mask mandate policy as follows:
Revised Mask Mandate Policy effective May 17, 2023:
- Masks are no longer required by staff, residents, or visitors while on our campus.
- Employees are not required to wear masks when interacting or treating residents.
- However, masks are still a requirement for employees who have declined their flu shot.
- Residents, employees, and visitors may continue wearing a mask if they feel more comfortable.
- Masks and PPE will still be required in some cases of isolation or if there is a significant concern for serious illness.
We appreciate your patience and support over the past three years during the pandemic. PPH has always been committed to the health and well-being of all our residents, staff, and visitors. The revision of our Mask Mandate is a major change, and we are thrilled to return to some form of normalcy.
What we are doing to keep our community safe:
- Enhanced cleaning
- Utilization of the Clorox Total 360 System which uses electrostatic technology to ensure proper disinfectant coverage of all surfaces in the community common areas
- All residents wearing masks when outside of their residences
- No communal dining at this time. When opened, the dining spaces will be set up to maintain proper social distancing
- Continued education for our residents and staff regarding safety protocols to reduce and eliminate transmission of the virus
- Contact tracing and isolation if a resident has tested positive for COVID. Staff will where PPE while treating a COVID-positive resident.
In addition, PPH is following guidance from our local and state health departments. For the most up-to-date information on this topic, please visit the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/covid19.
- Click the link below to view the current City of Philadelphia Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Department of Health lists of hot spot states: https://www.phila.gov/programs/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/updates/
Please watch the below video that celebrates the heroes of our community.