Hundreds of COVID Deaths Still Occurring Each Week in U.S. Nursing Homes
On 6/1/21 at 3:15 PM EDT
Associated Press reported.
The data shows that the number of nursing home deaths related to COVID-19 is down from 10,675 in the first two weeks of January to 472 in the first two weeks of May. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned that low rates of vaccination among health care workers in nursing homes raises the risk of outbreaks.
While the outbreaks are less common than earlier in the pandemic, they have disrupted plans for in-person meetings for the first time since the pandemic began over a year ago, leading to frustration from vaccinated family members and patients.
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In an effort to shield nursing homes from new COVID-19 cases, state focuses on short-term residents
Clockwise from foreground, residents Connie Romeo and Mary Flannery, certified nursing assistant Sam Ortiz, and residents Sofia Agranovich and Pat McFarlane talk as they eat lunch March 10, 2021, at Beechwood in New London. Health officials know how quickly a single infection can trigger a large outbreak, and they have turned their attention to a small but significant population: unvaccinated, short-term nursing home residents. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
Published April 06. 2021 7:51PM | Updated April 06. 2021 8:09PM
JENNA CARLESSO, The Connecticut Mirror
Four months ago, even as the coronavirus vaccine was making its way to Connecticut and the promise of protection drew close to reality, nursing homes were weathering another increase in COVID-19 cases.
State focuses on short-term residents to shield nursing homes from COVID cases
Jenna Carlesso, ctmirror.org
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Four months ago, even as the coronavirus vaccine was making its way to Connecticut and the promise of protection drew close to reality, nursing homes were weathering another increase in COVID-19 cases.
Testing inside the facilities was accelerating, special recovery centers for COVID-positive residents were taking on more patients, and illnesses among employees meant that many buildings were short-staffed. In December, 70 to 80 nursing home residents were dying per week. By the end of that month, more than 100 fatalities were recorded some weeks.
The outlook has improved since then. With more than 14,000 nursing home residents and more than 16,000 workers fully vaccinated, the state recorded just nine new cases and one new death during the final week of March.
In an effort to shield nursing homes from new COVID cases, state focuses on short-term residents
Yehyun Kim :: ctmirror.org
Residents at Beechwood, a nursing home in New London, have lunch together in a dining room while social distancing.
Four months ago, even as the coronavirus vaccine was making its way to Connecticut and the promise of protection drew close to reality, nursing homes were weathering another increase in COVID-19 cases.
Testing inside the facilities was accelerating, special recovery centers for COVID-positive residents were taking on more patients, and illnesses among employees meant that many buildings were short-staffed. In December, 70 to 80 nursing home residents were dying per week. By the end of that month, more than 100 fatalities were recorded some weeks.