Nursing Homes Still Epicenter Of Coronavirus, Despite Case Drop

PROVIDENCE, RI — Even as Rhode Island prepares to move into phase two of reopening, nursing homes and long-term care facilities for the elderly and frail remain an epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the state. Progress has been made, however, Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, the director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, said Friday.

In the past week, the number of cases of COVID-19 in congregate care facilities fell from 575 to 370, she said, an "encouraging" figure.

Two rounds of cyclical testing of all nursing home residents and staff in nursing homes have been completed, Alexander-Scott said, and the department is well into round three. This testing approach allows the department to get snapshots of case numbers in nursing homes over time, as well as identify asymptomatic cases.

Because the majority of deaths and cases have been in nursing homes, visitation will continue to be prohibited in phase two, Gov. Gina Raimondo said.

"We continue to struggle to get a handle on this virus in these nursing home settings," Raimondo said. "In light of the fact that it is very much a crisis in nursing homes, unfortunately we will not be relaxing the restrictions on visitations in phase two. ... I hope that will change in phase three. I am hoping in July you will be able to safely visit with your loved ones."

The decision was difficult, she said, acknowledging the difficulty of families who have been isolated from their loved ones for months.

"I can hear people saying: 'Oh come on, is this necessary?' It is," the governor continued, saying that the state must take measures to keep nursing home residents and staff safe.

Similarly, no visitation will be allowed at hospitals, except for end-of-life cases.

Because they do not house such medically and physically fragile populations, other congregate care settings, such as group homes, will begin to allow limited visitation in phase two, Raimondo said.