Florida governor: Testing at long-term care facilities increasing

FLORIDA — More and more people living in nursing homes and long-term care facilities are dying from COVID-19.

Ten days ago, coronavirus had taken 450 lives in America’s nursing homes. Now, it’s up to more than 3,000, according to The Associated Press.

“We know how to manage a flu outbreak in an assisted living facility or a nursing home, we’ve done that for years. But the problem with this is it’s moving at four times the speed, so our response has to be faster,” said Doug Atkins, executive director at Dayspring Village.

Atkins said keeping his residents safe is a daily fight. He said everyone at his facility has been tested for COVID-19.

“Quite honest, we are going to do it again. We are going to do it again at the peak of the pandemic because we just feel we need to have a testing protocol in this state,” he said.

Atkins said every facility needs to be testing both residents and staff, and everyone who comes in. And what’s concerning to him is the home health care nurses, who work at several different nursing homes facilities.

“If they don’t change clothes from one facility to the next, the virus can transmit from one facility to the next. It’s easily done,” he said.

Atkins said it’s the job of health care workers to make sure families and residents feel safe.

“I can tell you the assurance it gives families. The assurance it gives residents is huge. And that’s something we need to do, make sure that they have the confidence in us that the people coming in to care for them are not transmitting this virus,” said Atkins.

Dr. Deborah Birx who is a key member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, suggested last week as more COVID-19 tests become available, nursing homes should be a top priority.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said they are increasing testing at long-term care facilities. He said rapid emergency support teams are going to facilities where someone tested positive to make sure they are safe and to prevent the virus from spreading.