State prepares to reopen COVID recovery facilities
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HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) — New guidance from the Dept. of Public Health on Tuesday said families should not be taking loved ones out of nursing homes for Thanksgiving Day gatherings.
This is just one of the steps the state is taking steps to try and limit outbreaks in nursing homes. One of those steps is to reopen COVID-19 recovery facilities around the state.
Right now, the facilities can take 334 patients. Public health officials are looking for more, especially in eastern Connecticut.
However, they also think 400 should be sufficient, because they’ve learned a lot about treatment since the spring.
“That really is about alleviating stress on a facility when there is an outbreak,” said Adelita Orefice, senior advisor to the Dept. of Public Health commissioner.
The state has already identified four facilities: Torrington Health and Rehabilitation Center, Quinnipiac Valley Center in Wallingford, Westfield Care and Rehabilitation in Meriden, and Riverside Health and Rehabilitation in East Hartford.
Those four sites will house a combined 334 beds, including 90 at both Riverside and Westfield, and 120 at Torrington.
“We are more able to really be more surgical about who goes into a CRF (COVID Recovery Facility),” said Dr. Vivian Leung, coordinator of Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance Program for the Dept. of Public Health.
Patients who agree to a transfer will stay in a recovery center while they remain infectious, typically between 10 and 20 days.
The facilities will help nursing homes that aren’t able to isolate patients and contain a spread. The state is also taking other steps to prevent outbreaks.
“It’s not all just on facilities, it’s also up to families and visitors to follow the rules,” Orefice said.
The state is urging people not to take loved ones out of nursing homes this thanksgiving, and if you go to visit, they remind everyone to follow the nursing home’s rules.
The Dept. of Public Health is also putting extra emphasis on educating staff members on best practices, after more nursing homes are seeing staff members test positive. They also plan to continue up to 50 inspections a week.
“It’s a little bit of enforcement, and it’s a little bit of compliance assistance, if you will,” Orefice said.
Nursing homes can seek help from the state to accommodate visitors, applying for grants of up to $3,000 for things like tents.
The money is made available from the federal government through fines previously paid by nursing homes.
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