At present, one nursing home in Washington state is responsible for most of the nation’s deaths from the novel coronavirus. Dr. Frieden called this outbreak a “sentinel event,” or a warning of future outbreaks and deaths.
“The threat of rapid spread within long-term care facilities means that if we make the tough decision, now, to immediately restrict visits, we may be able to prevent many more outbreaks like the one in Kirkland,” Dr. Frieden wrote in the op-ed.
Nursing homes and other long-term care facilities should also ensure that employees receive paid sick leave, so they do not have any incentives to come to work sick, he added.
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