White House calling for states to test all nursing home residents, staff for COVID-19
SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - The White House is urging COVID-19 testing at every nursing home nationwide. Some Bay Area locations are already testing those facilities, trying to protect some of the state's most vulnerable citizens.
Even as cities and states ease up on some of the restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the disease, the White House Coronavirus Task Force is calling for more than a million tests to be performed on nursing home residents and workers across the country.
Deborah Birx, a leading member of the task force, is advising governors to focus on testing those communities over the next two weeks.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Monday that the state is working to prioritize testing at nursing homes.
"I obviously recognize deeply and I think soberly," said Newsom. "I think we all recognize, what's happened to our seniors in these skilled nursing facilities. It's important to make this point, they're not isolated, the [skilled nursing facilities]. They're not isolated, the assisted living facilities. Staff is moving around. Staff needs to be protected."
San Francisco says it's ahead of the curve, issuing a health order at the beginning of May to test staff and residents at its 21 skilled nursing facilities every two weeks.
"We're way ahead of the Trump administration," said the city's director of public health, Dr. Grant Colfax. "We require, are now requiring that nursing homes test and residents in nursing homes on a routine basis."
San Francisco leaders say they plan to assist the state going forward testing to ensure testing at private facilities.
"The health department will be working very closely with those private homes and with the state to ensure that there are testing protocols made available, that in certain instances testing materials and technical assistance is provided," said Colfax.
Governor Newsom also said he will have a major announcement Tuesday about testing and testing capacity in the state.