With the rapid spread of the Omicron variant virus, the number of deaths in nursing care centers has increased, and each center has restricted visitors to prevent the tragedy from repeating. (Associated Press)

(We Chinese in America Media Editor Tang Zhao, January 17, 2022) The COVID-19 outbreak has seen a record surge due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant virus. Nursing homes are no exception, and the number of deaths has once again seen an increase. Although the current situation is far less severe than last winter, centers generally do not dare to neglect and take more measures such as vaccination booster, or restricting visitors, to prevent the tragedy from repeating.

Data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that in the seven days ended on the 9th of this month, 32,000 residents of nursing care centers were infected with the disease, about seven times the number a month ago, and 645 people died, 47% more compared with a month ago; 57,200 people in nursing care center employees were infected, more than ten times the number a month ago, and a record high.

The current situation is far less severe than it was in December 2020, when 6,200 residents of the nursing home died of the disease each week, but Eric Feigl-Ding, an epidemiologist at the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), said as the situation develops, the number of hospitalizations and deaths in nursing care centers will "exponentially increase".

To avoid a repeat of the tragedy, many nursing homes have begun to promote vaccination or booster shots: CDC data show that the current rate of residents in nursing care centers receiving two doses is 87%, and the rate of receiving booster shots is 63%; At the nursing care facilities, the two-dose rate of center staff was 83%, but the booster rate was only 29%.

The Biden administration also requires the vast majority of health care workers in the country to be vaccinated. The constitutionality of this order was endorsed by the Federal Supreme Court on the 13th of this month.

In addition, booster vaccinations are important for seniors who are vulnerable to the virus; in late November last year, a 100% complete vaccination rate for residents and staff at a nursing care center in New Hampshire, but the booster vaccination rate was 0%, resulting in a nosocomial infection claiming six lives.

Many nursing care centers have also begun to strengthen screening or visitors can only meet residents in public spaces, not rooms, and require social distancing, etc.; in New York State and other places, only those visitors who have tested negative and wear masks of can enter the Residential Care Center.

Ding Liang said that other measures that should be taken include wearing medical-grade masks such as N95 and increasing high-efficiency air purifiers.

We have to make the Residential Care Center safe, but we haven't seen that yet, so the number of cases keeps going up. "

(Source: Compiled from Online Information)