For the first time this week some nursing homes have received enough tests to be able to start testing both residents and workers who are not showing any signs of the virus.
Friday a caravan of state democratic lawmakers made their away across the state to some of Connecticut’s hardest-hit nursing homes
Between both Kimberly Hall North and South in Windsor combined, the facilities have seen the state’s highest number of COVID-associated deaths.
“The fight is every day but as a team we have this, we got it,” Meredith Elco, an LPN said.
Friday healthcare workers were not only recognized by state democratic leaders for their hard work but they are on their way to receiving what’s known as “whole house testing.”
“We’ve been utilizing DPH’s local lab and we’ve been getting lab test testing those that are symptomatic and now we're able to test those that are not symptomatic, which has been remarkable,” Marnie Talamona, the regional vice president of operations for Genesis Healthcare said.
DPH says testing capacity at Connecticut’s nursing homes expanded greatly this week. Hundreds of testing kits were sent out after the state received a large shipment at the end of last week.
Local
“It’s tiring, we try to support each other,” Elco said.
Re-opening Connecticut will depend on the screening of vulnerable or high-risk groups like nursing home communities. More than half of our state’s COVID-19 deaths include nursing home residents.
State leaders caravanned across the state Friday to show their support for nursing home workers who will now soon have a better idea of their own health.
“We’re going to get through it,” Elco said.
