Florida nursing homes on high alert amid increase in COVID-19 cases

Some Florida nursing home employees are not vaccinated

With COVID-19 cases on the rise, Florida’s leading nursing home association said its facilities are on high alert.

Kristin Knapp with the Florida Health Care Association said with the spread of the Delta variant, vaccinated individuals are the facilities are getting COVID-19

“What we have to do in some cases is if they have a positive case in the building, they shut down visitation in that wing,” Knapp said.

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The Florida Health Care Association represents about 82 percent of all nursing homes in Florida. Knapp said their facilities still require masks for staff and visitors as well as adhere to social distancing.

“That does put us on you know, high alert because we do have staff that isn’t vaccinated. We have visitors that aren’t vaccinated,” Knapp said.

Knapp said that the precautions their faculties are taking will hopefully prevent any changes to visitor policies.

“The isolation certainly took its toll on our residents. It was emotional for the staff as well because you know family members being able to be with their loved ones, that’s important,” Knapp said.

Knapp also said The Florida Health Care Association continues to educate and encourage staff to get vaccinated.


About the Author:

Troy graduated from California State University Northridge with a Bachelor's Degree in Communication. He has reported on Mexican drug cartel violence on the El Paso/ Juarez border, nuclear testing facilities at the Idaho National Laboratory and severe Winter weather in Michigan.