North Shore Health (NSH) is proud to announce that North Shore Living (Care Center) made it for over three years through the COVID-19 pandemic without a single case of COVID.

The first American case of COVID-19 was reported on January 20, 2020, and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared the U.S. outbreak a Public Health Emergency (PHE) on January 31. The first known American deaths occurred in February, then the President declared a nationwide emergency on March 13. “From the get-go, North Shore Health has complied with strict COVID-19 protocols from Center for Disease Control (CDC), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to protect our residents, patients, visitors and employees,” said Kimber Wraalstad, NSH CEO.

According to information from the MDH Data Team, Assisted Living data can’t be known because their licensure, and thereby reporting requirements, started in the middle of the pandemic. With that said, the Care Center at North Shore Health remains proud of their perfect record/zero case distinction. “It has been quite the ongoing effort, but our staff rose up to meet the challenge,” said Troy Batchelor, NSH Director of Nursing. “We couldn’t be more proud of our staff for their outstanding achievement in protecting our residents.”

Many nursing home residents are immune-compromised and are highly susceptible to contagious diseases.

From vaccinations, to testing, monitoring, masking, hand hygiene, reporting, entry screening, quarantines, variants and all the related protocols therein, NSH has worked closely with Grand Marais and Cook County MN partners to develop and implement a detailed Emergency Medical Plan to protect the community.

“The toll on our staff has been significant,” said Robert McGregor, NSH Care Center Director of Nursing. “Like most healthcare facilities, we have had to persevere in spite of staffing shortages. Our staff has had to pull extra shifts to cover for that shortage.”

CMS announced that May 11, 2023 would mark the end of PHE. “While many changes will take place going forward, NSH will remain vigilant in our efforts to keep this facility safe for all,” said Wraalstad.

NSH thanks their community for their patience in complying with all the strict safety measures. Please stay tuned for updates on what to expect at this facility. 

About North Shore Health:

North Shore Health is a rural health facility located on the beautiful north shore of Lake Superior in Grand Marais, MN. The organization, which is part of the Cook County Hospital District includes a 16-bed critical access hospital, a 37-bed skilled nursing facility, a home health agency, an ambulance service and a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic services. Their mission is “Community Access to Compassionate Care”.