As the number of new coronavirus cases slowly increases in New Jersey and across the nation, approximately one in four nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the state have reported an outbreak in the past week. About. State Department of Health data.
But neither Gov. Murphy’s administration nor the Biden administration have announced any policy changes recently, so don’t expect a return to the lockdowns and other drastic measures from the early days of the pandemic.
And with the national health emergency lifted in May and vaccines and booster immunizations widely available, nursing home operators are left to decide how to manage the rising number of infections over the past month. said Healthcare Chairman Andrew Aronson. New Jersey Association, long-term care industry lobbying group.
During the first year of the pandemic, state and federal health officials shut down indoor visitations, frustrating families who said their loved ones had fallen into depression in isolation.
“The good news is that thanks to the existence of vaccines, treatments, and more, we are better equipped than ever to prevent and manage COVID-19,” Aronson said. Ta.
There have been 158 outbreaks at nursing homes, more than last week, affecting 1,327 residents and 534 employees, according to state data updated Wednesday. Aronson said there are 615 nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the state.
The rise in coronavirus infections in nursing homes is not surprising, with hospitalizations occurring across the country. rUp nearly 19% in the last week According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15,067 people have been infected, including 294 in New Jersey. Officials say visitors and employees have been a source of spread in long-term care facilities since the coronavirus was first detected in New Jersey in early March 2020.
Since then, 10,233 long-term care facility residents and employees have died from COVID-19, including 15 confirmed last week, according to health department data.
At least 200 of those deaths occurred at three state-run VA facilities for veterans and their spouses in Edison, Paramus and Vineland.
Amid the recent outbreak, Vineland administrators closed a wing at Vineland Veterans Memorial Hall, according to Lt. Col. Agnetha E. Murnan, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Seven Vineland residents and four employees have tested positive for the coronavirus, Murnane said.
State health department spokeswoman Nancy Carney said nursing homes are hiring infectious disease control experts to manage outbreaks and implementing other “best practices to keep residents and staff safe.” said it is necessary to do so.
Practices required by the state and federal governments include notifying residents and their representatives if someone tests positive on-site. According to instructions from former Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli.
Aronson said operators are being provided regular training on infection control practices and encouraged to receive booster vaccinations. “Influenza and COVID-19 (vaccine) vaccinations are being administered at many facilities,” he said. “A lot of work has been done to encourage people to get vaccinated and to make it as easy as possible.”
“The last time we saw an increase in cases, people were worried that the death rate would go up, but that hasn’t happened. I hope this is the same thing, but… “The number of infections has periodically spiked, only to fall as quickly as it has risen,” he said.
Long-term care ombudsman Laurie Brewer said so far “facilities and the residents who live there appear to be handling the recent outbreak well.”
The number of masks is increasing, and some facilities have resumed temperature checks. However, there are not widespread reports that visits and activities are being curtailed,” Brewer said. “However, this is to be expected as state and federal guidelines do not allow for the types of lockdowns we saw a couple of years ago.”
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Susan K. Livio can be reached at: slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio.