COVID-19 UPDATE

December 29, 2021

To Our Residents, Family Members and Visitors:

The Palolo Chinese Home (PCH) would like to reassure you that our residents are being cared for in a safe and healthy environment. As you are aware, the Omicron variant is running rampant on the mainland and in Hawaii. The COVID-19 infection numbers in the local community are often over 1,000 new cases a day.

At this time, PCH has no residents who have tested positive for COVID-19. We are monitoring residents for symptoms hourly. We do have staff members who have tested positive for the virus. None of the infected staff had exposure with residents while they were infected. The infected staff are currently isolating at home. 

During this holiday season, we understand that connecting with family members is incredibly important. Please consider a contactless visit with your loved one this holiday season. There are a variety of ways you can show you care without physically visiting on campus. PCH staff are happy to help with contactless visits that include a telephone call, email, text, or through Facetime, Skype, or Facebook. Contactless visits are the recommended safe way to show you care about protecting your loved ones until we can once again visit in-person. 

For individuals that enter compassionate care situations, PCH will require each visitor to perform facility screening including Covid rapid testing, frequent hand hygiene and use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as facemasks. Visitors must wear a facemask and face shield while in the building and restrict their visit to the resident’s room or other directed location. Call the facility Chief Operating Officer, Pauline Nnawuba at (808) 748-4908 ext. 208 or the On-Call Nurse Manager at (808) 782-4187 to schedule a screening upon your arrival. 

Please understand that even in end-of-life situations, anyone with symptoms of a respiratory infection (fever, cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat) will not be permitted to enter the facility at any time. 

For those that visit on campus, PCH will be administering the following screening measures for all visitors: 

• All visitors will be screened for temperature 
• All visitors must complete all questions at the screening kiosk 
• All visitors will be rapid antigen tested for COVID-19 and wait the required 15 minutes for results 
• All visitors must wear a face mask and perform proper hand hygiene when in contact with high-contact surfaces such as doorknobs, elevator buttons, and handrails 
• All visits will take place outdoors in high ventilation areas when possible 
• All visitors will wear a mask, gloves, gown, and shield (items to be provided by PCH staff) at all times during visit
• If you have your own personal facemask and face shield you would like to use you are encouraged to bring them 

Again, following the recommendations of the CDC on prevention & mitigation steps, we are posting signs at the entryway doors to notify visitors of the symptoms of COVID-19.

Palolo Chinese Home will notify you if any residents or staff are diagnosed with COVID-19. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact myself at (808) 732-0488 or email at pnnawuba@palolohome.org or one of the managers listed below. 

Thank you for your cooperation as we all work together to keep our residents safe. 

Sincerely,

Pauline Nnawuba, COO
Palolo Chinese Home

Manager’s Contact Numbers and Email: 

• Pauline Nnawuba, RN, LNHA Chief Operating Officer – (808) 748-4908 ext. 208, pnnawuba@palolohome.org
• Patricia Mayes, RN, Director of Nursing – (808) 737-2555 ext. 342
• Aiza Saribay, Manager Senior Day Care/ Palolo Wellness Program (808) 748-4907; apobre@palolohome.org 
• On-Call Nurse Managers – (808) 782-4187