Hale Makua Update: One Asymptomatic Resident Remains in Isolation

Hale Makua Health Services has just one resident with COVID-19, according to an update provided on Tuesday.  The resident is asymptomatic and remains in isolation at the Hale Makua Kahului facility.

Meantime, a home health client who had tested positive during a previous report, is no longer on service with Hale Makua at this time.

The facility reports that COVID-19 tests have been conducted on 23 residents and 61 staff, and all have returned negative.  There are no further tests pending at this time.

“Understanding that our kupuna residents are at the highest risk, our first priority has been, and will continue to be the safety of our residents and staff. For that reason, Hale Makua Health Services initiated screening, visitor restrictions and increased cleaning protocols in early March. These protocols are currently still in place and are updated frequently,” according to administrators.

Hale Makua reports that it is closely following all Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Healthcare Association of Hawaiʻi guidelines and will not reopen facilities to visitors until it is safe to do so.

Administrators say they have worked with Maui Memorial Medical Center to focus on an updated Admissions Policy. These requirements include two negative tests prior to admission, 14-day isolation at facility once admitted and other noted precautionary measures.

Continued precautions at Hale Makua for residents include the following:

• Staff and vendors screened for respiratory symptoms and/or fever prior to entering the campuses since early March.
• All new admissions have been admitted into an isolated wing in Kahului since March 23.
• All employees are required to wear face masks and appropriate PPE at all times.
• Visitors are prohibited, except in certain circumstances deemed appropriate by an administrator. Creative ways to keep residents in touch with loved ones have been implemented.
• Employees who work in other healthcare settings are temperature checked at the start and end of shift, in addition to wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) throughout their shift at Hale Makua.
• High touch surfaces are wiped down frequently.

In addition, Hale Makua has a separate set of guidelines for Home Health staff and clients.

Maui has COVID-19 clusters of infection at two healthcare facilities including 66 cases at Maui Memorial Medical Center and 20 cases at the Roselani Place assisted care facility in Kahului.