COVID-19 infections on the rise in Florida long-term care homes

JACKSONVILLE, Florida – COVID-19 infections rise in Florida long-term care facilities as families decide to take loved ones on vacation.

The Florida Department of Health reported on Friday, Nov. 27 that 1,402 residents had tested positive for the virus – a 17% increase from the 1,192 residents who say health officials said they were positive for COVID-19 14 days before November 13. 30-day period infections among Florida residents increased 87%.

Of those long-term care residents who tested positive, 3,864 were transferred to a hospital or other facility for treatment.

The State Department of Health’s long-term care facility case reports change daily and are snapshots of currently available information reported by each facility to the Agency for Healthcare Administration.

As cases continue to rise, long-term care facilities have been given more leeway to protect residents from potential virus outbreaks, including adding additional requirements for residents leaving facilities to visit. to their families during the holidays.

In early November, the AHCA told establishments in an FAQ letter that residents could leave the establishment if they wished, including for vacations. The letter said screening was not required to return and residents who passed screening did not have to quarantine or self-isolate upon return.

But in a statement from ACHA a few weeks later, the agency told families the FAQs were minimum requirements and that facilities could implement additional measures to protect residents.

Virginia Lesperance has made the decision to keep her mother in her assisted living facility in Jacksonville, Camellia in Deerwood, for Thanksgiving Day.

“It was just too risky, and she didn’t feel comfortable either,” Lesperance said. “I can see both sides of A, we want to keep everyone safe and minimize exposure, but there’s also the B side of we never know when our last vacation is going to be and, you know, are we going to risk it? ”

Susan Bolton faced the same choice. Bolton finally decided to bring his mother home for the day. It helped, she said, that her facility didn’t require her mother to be quarantined for 14 days if she could get tested.

“I think most people who want to bring home their parents or, you know, their husbands or wives or even their kids who are in some of the long term care facilities. I think these people are going to be very careful because they don’t want to contribute to the program in the nursing homes, ”she said.