Page 28 - bon-dia-aruba-20210602

A28 u.s. news
Diaranson 2 Juni 2021

Despite vaccines, nursing homes struggle with outbreaks

breaks. at Athena Health Care Sys- nursing homes that that’s not
tems, which operates 48 facil- the case at other facilities in
A March outbreak involving ities in Connecticut, Rhode Connecticut.
a variant at a Kentucky nurs- Island and Massachusetts,
ing home, where most resi- recently estimated about 50% Ellis is part of a group that’s
dents had been vaccinated for to 60% of staff have been vac- pushing for both state and
COVID-19, was traced to cinated so far, with as many federal legislation allowing
an infected, unvaccinated as 80% in some buildings. nursing home residents to
worker, according to a CDC have essential caregivers. She
report. Among the 46 cases “Throughout our network, said that could have helped
identified, 26 residents and we are seeing onesies and her wife, who suffers from
20 workers became infected, twosies, mostly with employ- heart problems and relied on
including 18 residents and ees, though, that have not Ellis before the pandemic for
four workers who were fully been vaccinated. That’s really emotional support and exer-
vaccinated 14 days before the where we’re seeing them,” cises to keep her legs strong.
outbreak. Brown said of he infections.
If a staff member tests posi- “She could get up and walk
Three of the nursing home’s tive, he said, buildings are put a very small distance around
residents who contracted under quarantine and visits the room to move to the bed
COVID-19 died, including are put on hold while another to a chair or whatever,” she
two who were not vaccinat- round of staff testing is con- said. “She’s not longer able to
Jeannie Wells had hoped ed. So-called “breakthrough” ducted. Unvaccinated staff do that.”
that regular visits would While the outbreaks in- infections among vaccinated are being tested regularly.
resume at her elderly side nursing homes now are individuals were also iden- That’s a similar experience
mother’s New York nurs- much smaller, less frequent tified in nursing homes in “If there are no other cases, for Wells, who said the nurs-
ing home once all the resi- and less severe than during Chicago, according to anoth- or if the employee did not ing home where her mother
dents were fully vaccinat- the height of the pandemic, er recent CDC report. work on a specific wing, then lives still has no communal
ed against COVID-19. there continue to be hun- we allow visitation for that dining, group activities or
dreds of deaths each week In Connecticut, Gov, Ned wing or for for the wings that hairdressing services. Wells,
Around Easter, her wish fi- attributed to the coronavirus. Lamont has likened the chal- are not affected by the posi- who lives in Rochester, said
nally came true, and she was According to federal data, 472 lenge of keeping the virus out tive employee,” he said. it was only last week that she
able to hold the 93-year-old’s nursing home deaths were of nursing homes to patching was offered the opportunity
hand more than a year after related to COVID-19 in the up “leaky boats.” The state Mairead Painter, Connecti- to meet with her mother
bringing her mother to the first two weeks of May, down Department of Public Health cut’s long-term care ombuds- outside and without masks.
facility for rehabilitation for a from 10,675 in the first two launched Operation Match- man, said recent guidance But after spending so much
fractured hip and knee. weeks of January. maker to match nursing from the state has clarified time isolated during the pan-
homes with certain pharma- how facilities should handle demic, Wells said her mother
But that reunion was short- “There is this notion among cies to ensure new residents these scattered outbreaks in no longer knows who she
lived. Visits were quickly some that vaccines were ad- and staff get shots. Hospitals order to minimize the impact is, other than someone who
stopped for about six weeks ministered in long-term are also working to vaccinate they can have on the rest of cares about her.
after an employee tested pos- care, so we’re done, and that patients before they’re re- residents and their families.
itive for COVID, and Wells would be a perilous mistake,” leased to a nursing facility. She said that’s led to fewer She said it pains her to see
said visits are still far from said Dr. David Gifford, chief complaints fielded by her of- her mother, who used to get
normal even when there medical officer for the Amer- Given staffing shortages fice. her hair done weekly, looking
haven’t been outbreaks. ican Health Care Associa- around the country, there’s unkept, with bangs hanging
tion, a national nursing home been a hesitance among But Debra Ellis, whose in her eyes and hair down to
COVID-19 vaccines have trade association, in a recent long-term care providers to 88-year-old wife Jackie lives her shoulders.
allowed nursing homes in statement. “Nursing homes mandate vaccinations for in a Meriden, Conn. nursing
the U.S. to make dramatic and assisted living commu- their workers, said Dr. Vivian home, said the rules still dif- “This nursing home never al-
progress since the dark days nities have a constant flow Leung, director of the state’s fer by facility. Until recently, lowed us into their rooms. We
of the pandemic, but senior of new residents, whether Department of Health’s she had been frustrated by the have to stay in an ugly dining
care facilities are still expe- coming from the hospital or Healthcare Associated Infec- strict visitation limits, includ- room that’s been stripped
riencing scattered outbreaks the community, and many of tions Program. ing sudden multi-day shut- and all the furniture stacked
that are largely blamed on them haven’t been vaccinated “We’re working with the downs when staff members in the corner and in four lit-
unvaccinated staff members. yet.” long-term care industry to have tested positive. Both she tle pods of tables pushed to-
The outbreaks and ensuing really increase the pressure and her wife are vaccinated. gether and staff staring at you
shutdowns have jolted fam- In addition, the CDC has on getting those staff vacci- By mid-May, things finally the whole time,“ she said,
ily members who were just warned that low rates of vac- nated,” Leung said. eased up and she’s been al- adding: “None of that has
starting to enjoy in-person cination among health care lowed to go inside her wife’s changed because they’re al-
visits with loved ones for the workers in skilled nursing Tim Brown, director of mar- room. Yet Ellis hears from lowing nursing homes to do
first time in a year. facilities raises risks of out- keting and communications relatives of residents at other their own thing.”

Shooting reported at Los Angeles County fire station

(AP) — Authorities say there’s immediately have more informa- known for its rock formations and
been a shooting Tuesday at a Neither Lua nor Los Angeles Coun- tion. panoramic views.
Los Angeles County Fire De- ty sheriff’s Deputy Trina Schrader
partment station. had information about injuries or Police tape is surrounding the fire The Fire Department described it
arrests. station in the Agua Dulce area near as a “tragic shooting” on Twitter,
Fire Department Supervisor Leslie Santa Clarita, and police cars and saying the agency is “still in the pro-
Lua said paramedics responded to A home about 10 miles (16 kilome- ambulances lined the street outside. cess of gathering additional infor-
reports of gunshots shortly before ters) east of the station is on fire, mation” and it’s cooperating with
11 a.m. at Fire Station 81, about 45 and there’s a heavy police presence, Agua Dulce is a remote community law enforcement “throughout this
miles (72 kilometers) north of Los but it’s unclear if it’s connected to of about 3,000 people in the desert ongoing incident.”
Angeles. the shooting and authorities didn’t of northern Los Angeles County