1 In 5 U.S. Nursing Homes Suffer From PPE And Staff Shortages Amid Coronavirus Surge, Study Finds

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August 21, 2020

TOPLINE

Nursing homes across the country suffered from severe shortages of staff and personal protective equipment throughout the summer, according to a new study from Health Affairs, despite the Trump administration efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus among residents.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the briefing room at the White … [+] House.

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KEY FACTS

One out of five nursing homes reported a severe shortage in both PPE and staff with cases up roughly 80 percent in the facilities in the week starting July 26 as the coronavirus rages across the southern and western U.S.

Although people who live in nursing homes make up only one percent of the country’s population, they account for 43 percent of coronavirus deaths.

During the first half of the summer, from mid-May to mid-June, 20.7 percent of the 15,388 nursing homes included in the study reported having one week or less worth of PPE—from mid-June to mid-July that number dropped less than two points to 19.1 percent.

The share of nursing homes with staff shortages increased, from 20.8 percent during the first half of the summer to 21.9 percent during the second half.

In response to the study the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which sets the standards for nursing homes, said the Trump administration “has provided nursing homes the tools they need to stop the virus’ spread and, ultimately, each nursing home is responsible for its residents’ safety.”

Key Background

The Trump administration had previously come under fire for its response to the rapid spread of the coronavirus in nursing homes. An initial federal effort to provide desperately needed PPE to nursing homes across the country resulted in some facilities being sent faulty blue isolation gowns with no arm holes and fabric masks. In late July the administration announced several new CMS programs designed to protect nursing home residents, including the deployment of 15,000 rapid testing devices through September and $5 billion from the Department of Health and Human Services to “build nursing home skills and enhance nursing homes’ response to COVID-19.”

1 In 5 U.S. Nursing Homes Suffer From PPE And Staff Shortages Amid Coronavirus Surge, Study Finds

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