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.
Roughly 277,000 Connecticut residents who are 75 years and older were allowed Thursday to begin making appointments online or via telephone for their COVID-19 vaccinations, with plans in the works to soon phase in people 65 and older and anyone 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions that put them of greater risk of contracting the disease. Phase 1B, the second phase of Connecticut vaccination program, is scheduled to officially begin on.