Health Leaders Encouraged by Steep Drop in COVID-19 Cases, Deaths at Long-Term Care Communities

Health Leaders Encouraged by Steep Drop in COVID-19 Cases, Deaths at Long-Term Care Communities

Keith Eldridge, KOMO News Reporter Friday, March 5th 2021

Regional health leaders are excited by what they are seeing in the COVID fight at long term care setting.

Even though deaths are still happening, health officers in the three largest counties say the cases and deaths are a fraction of what they were.

“Oh, I am so glad,” said Roberta Butler who lives at one of the long-term care settings of Cascade Park Communities in Tacoma who got her second dose two weeks ago. “Everything is going so good. We have absolutely none of it here. Our vaccinations were no problem at all.”

Jen Drake is one of the administrators.

“I think just a joyful feeling,” Drake said. “People feel more comfortable to be in closer distance with their family members.”

Pierce County said long term care settings continue to show sharp declines as the vaccinations take full effect.

“We’ve seen a decline in deaths overall and it’s a sharp decline in deaths in long term care facilities as well which is very good news,” said Nigel Turner of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

That is a sharp contrast from a year ago when long term care settings were the hardest hit, especially in King County which is now seeing a huge improvement.

“And that is truly great to see. we’ve also gone from dozens of outbreaks and hundreds of cases reported at long term care facilities each week to single digits in recent weeks,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin, county health officer.

And in Snohomish County the encouraging trend continues.

“Cases in long term care facilities, thank goodness, have almost completely disappeared,” said county health officer Dr. Chris Spitters. “I think given that effort to vaccinate skilled nursing and assisted living facilities is almost complete.”

But the industry advocacy group LeadingAge Washington cautions we can’t let up.

Without a plan in place to provide ongoing vaccinations of residents in nursing homes, and other long term care settings, this will be a welcome, but momentary pause,” said CEO Deb Murphy.

KOMO Story

 

Questions?

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Laura Hofmann, MSN, RN – Director of Clinical and Nursing Facility Regulatory Services
c: 425-231-4804

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March 8, 2021