PARIS, TN – During the last week of May, Henry County Healthcare Center tested 179 residents and staff for COVID-19 as required by Governor Bill Lee and the State of TN. HCHC received notification that one resident and two staff members have tested positive for COVID-19, but all three cases are asymptomatic. The one resident has been retested and results are negative for COVID-19.

Since the first guidance from CMS and the CDC, which came out in March, HCHC has taken all the appropriate actions to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our residents and staff to prevent or reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19. This included altering the normal operations of our facility and creating a separate wing with separate staff.

HCHC continues to provide face masks for residents and social distancing is enforced. In addition, all staff is using personal protective equipment as recommended by the CDC. We have notified our local and state public health officials. We continue daily monitoring and education regarding hand hygiene, cleaning of equipment used for patient care, and continued restrictions on visitations, dining, and group activities.

“We are doing everything we can to help prevent COVID-19 among our residents and partners,” said Sandra Ray, Administrator at Henry County Healthcare Center. “We are in contact with our residents’ families and we have recently updated our website to provide information dedicated specifically to HCHC COVID-19 information and updates. We want to assure everyone we have our residents’ safety on the forefront of all we are doing.”

Due to government privacy requirements, HCHC cannot divulge specific information about any individual who has confirmed or suspected COVID-19, except to the specific family members who have permissions to receive such information.

At HCHC, we understand that connecting with family members is incredibly important to our residents. Family members are encouraged to connect with their loved ones through video chat, calling, texting, email or on social media. Feel free to call our primary number at 731-642-5700 to assist in communicating with your loved one.

Please visit the CDC website (www.cdc.gov/coronavirus) to learn how you can help prevent the spread in our community, since continued spread in the larger community increases the chance the virus will work its way into our building.

If you have questions, we encourage you to contact our center. Please call us at 731-642-5700, email us at sray@hcmc-tn.org, or visit our website at www.hcmc-tn.org and click on the link on our homepage for updates specifically for HCHC.

HCMC continues to update daily our chart on our website that provides information on testing, hospitalizations, and deaths within our organization. It can be found at www.hcmc-tn.org. We are additionally posting on our social media platforms a daily update that provides information about COVID-19 at HCMC, TN, KY, the counties our organization serves, as well as statistics from the Henry County Health Department. We will begin to update with information related to HCHC on this chart as well.

How you can help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses such as Coronavirus:

Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then discard in a trash.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your health care provider. To learn more, go to our website at www.hcmc-tn.org or go to the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html

Located in Paris, TN, Henry County Medical Center is a progressive, integrated healthcare organization committed to serving the healthcare needs of Henry County and the adjoining region. Including a 142-bed hospital and other facilities, the medical center provides a variety of outpatient services, as well as inpatient care. Additionally, HCMC owns and operates 7 provider clinics in various specialties. Henry County Medical Center is a county-owned and operated nonprofit institution. For more information: www.hcmc-tn.org.