Nursing homes still hit by the pandemic

The United States has done no better to prevent the coronavirus from entering nursing homes.

Why is this important: The number of nursing home cases has consistently closely followed the number of cases in the wider community – and this is very bad news, as cases overall continue to skyrocket.

In numbers: There were more than 16,000 confirmed cases in nursing homes during the week of Nov. 15, according to a report from the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living.

• Nearly half of the new nursing home cases this week were in the Midwest.
• Nationwide cases increased by more than 177% between mid-September and mid-November, reflecting the steady increase in the number of cases overall.
• Deaths are also increasing, reaching 2,000 in the same week.

What they say: “Our worst fears have come true as COVID is rampant in the general population and long-term care facilities are powerless to completely prevent it from entering due to its asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic spread,” said Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of American. Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living.

• “This nationwide level of COVID is straining our workforce, supplies and testing capacity.

The bottom line: We are not going to control the pandemic in the general population, which means the virus will continue to find its way into nursing homes.

• The only bright spot on the horizon for nursing home residents is that a vaccine will be available soon and they will be among the first to receive it.