Valley Health reports first employee COVID-19 illness

~ Press release issued by Valley Health on March 31

WINCHESTER — The COVID-19 pandemic has hit a little closer to home for the Valley Health team, as several employees are now under quarantine, and being treated for the virus on an outpatient basis.

Valley Health has received positive test results for several employees, resulting from what it is fairly certain were contacts that occurred outside their work. 

All of the employees are under quarantine and receiving outpatient care.

Notifications will be made to the limited number of coworkers and other individuals who may have had contact with these employees.

The impacted employees are entitled to the same HIPAA privacy as any other patient; accordingly, Valley Health will not disclose employee names or any other information that might be used to infer patient identity.

“Our thoughts are with our coworkers who have become infected and we look forward to their speedy recovery and return to caring for our community,” says Mark H. Merrill, President and CEO at Valley Health System.

“The fact that we haven’t yet had any work-acquired cases reinforces the importance of the proper use of infection control protocols, screening tools and telemedicine as the first lines of defense in managing those who seek our care.”