National Guard helps disinfect nursing homes

National Guard helps disinfect nursing homes

Facility!

This news comes as the alabama national guard is making rounds to nursing homes across the state to disinfect and decontaminate facilities!

The alabama nursing home association says the national guard is visiting facilities with positive coronavirus cases first.

Waay 31's casey albritton joins us live from a north alabama nursing home with why they're asking for help from the national guard.

Here at american health communities millenium - administrators tell me they haven't had any cases of coronavirus.

But - they've still requested a visit from the alabama national guard as an extra precaution to keep staff and residents safe.

Ohn matson/ alabama nursing home association "we could be june or july before life gets back to normal for alabama's nursing homes."

John matson with the "alabama nursing home association" tells me the alabama national guard made its first stop to disinfect a nursing home over the weekend.

John matson/ alabama nursing home association "they have specialized equipment and chemicals that are used when you need to disinfect or sanitize an entire building."

Now - the national guard is going to nursing homes with positive cases of coronaivirus first.

But - facilities without any cases can request a visit from the national guard as well.

John matson/ alabama nursing home association "the national guard calls each nursing home to assess the facility's needs and then puts in on a priority list which then goes into a schedule."

Administrators at american health communities millenium tell me they haven't had any cases of coronavirus, but have already requested a visit.

Barbara stripling/ american health communities millennium nursing home "i think having the national guard come in and a public servent come in and offer assistance will enhance the activities that we've already implemented."

At this point there's no timeline for when the national guard will be in north alabama.

But in the meantime - stripling says employees have been disinfecting the building regularly -- and are screened before they are allowed to come inside.

Administrators tell me they will screen the national guard members too.

Barbara stripling/ american health communities millennium nursing home "to make sure that we're not unnecessarily exposing our staff and our residents."

But i spoke with another nursing home - south hampton nursing and rehabilitation center.

Employees there say they won't request a visit until they have a confirmed case.

Christina guffey/ south hampton nursing and rehabilitation center.

"at this time we just don't feel like it's necessary to allow non-employees into the facility.

It's just another way to limit our community access."

Right now administrators at ahc millenium nursing home tell me they aren't sure when the national guard will visit.

Live in huntsville, casey albritton, waay 31 news.

The alabama nursing home association says the national guard is only visiting nursing homes - not other long- term care facilities.

The assisted living association in alabama told waay 31 they reached out to the alabama department of public health to see if they can get disinfecting assistance.

Right now, the state health department reports more than 300 long-term care facility residents with coronavirus.

261 employees at those facilities also tested positive.