CDC Must Start Tracking Number Of COVID-19 Cases In Nursing Homes
“At a time when this information could be vital to the health and safety of Americans, it is imperative that the list of facilities with a COVID-19 case, among residents and staff, be made public and shared with relevant health care providers, authorities and Congress on a real-time basis. Importantly, CMS and CDC must convey this information in a manner that is easily accessible to nursing home residents, families and the community, and it should be accompanied by useful resources and information for affected individuals.”
The CDC stated it had no current information on nursing home statistics and was depending on state agencies for the figures it has cited recently, according to an article by Laura Strickler of NBC. In the same article, CDC spokesperson Kristen Nordlund confirmed that the CDC “is not keeping a ‘master list’ of coronavirus cases in long term care facilities or keeping track of how many facilities have infected residents. … The number referenced in the CMS press release [of March 23] and updated a week later [on March 30] reflected a snapshot from state health departments responding to informal outreach about their sense of how many nursing homes they were aware of with at least one COVID-19 positive resident.”
Our attorneys at Brown & Barron, LLC focus on representingnursing home residentswho have been neglected or abused. We know first-hand how these facilities function, and just how vulnerable residents are to injuries. If you believe you or a family member has suffered as a result of nursing home negligence, we invite you to contact our team as soon as possible to learn more about your rights and options.
To learn more about how the coronavirus is affecting nursing homes and their residents, visit our coronavirus update blog. To contact our team, call(410) 547-0202today for a consultation.