Preventing COVID-19 at skilled nursing homes in Kern County

Kern County Public Health officials recently gave an update on cases at skilled nursing facilities, saying that of the 19 facilities that we have 14 are reporting positive cases of COVID-19.

But what about the five facilities that have not had any reported cases?

COVID-19 CASES AT LOCAL SKILLEDNURSING FACILITIES...KERN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTHOFFICIALS RECENTLY GIVINGAN UPDATE ON CASES AT THOSEFACILITIES -- SAYING -- THAT OFTHE 19 FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE-- 14 ARE REPORTINGPOSITIVE CASES OF COVID-19...SO -- WHAT ABOUT THE FIVEFACILITIES THAT HAVE NOT HADANY REPORTED CASES OF COVID- 19?TODAY -- WE SPOKE WITH OFFICIALSFROM ONE OF THOSEFACILITIES -- ROSEWOOD --LOCATED IN SOUTHWESTBAKERSFIELD -- AND HAD THEMEXPLAIN WHAT THEY HAVE BEENDOING -- THAT SO FAR -- HASPROTECTED THEIR STAFF ANDRESIDENTS FROM THE VIRUS..."SO, WE HAVE STOPPED ALL NON-ESSENTIAL VISITORS, GROUPDINING, GROUP ACTIVITIES, REALLYRIGHT AWAY WHENTHE OUTBREAK STARTED.

ONE OF THETHINGS WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON,ISSCREENING ALL TEAM MEMBERS ANDESSENTIAL VISITORS EVERY TIMETHEYCOME ON CAMPUS.

WE ARE GOINGTHROUGH ALL THE COVID SYMPTOMS,TAKINGTEMPERATURES, MAKING SUREEVERYONE IS WEARING A FACE MASKAND IF THEY HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS --THEN THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TOCOMEON."ROSEWOOD OFFICIALS ALSO SAYINGTHEY HAVE BEEN LIMITINGPHYSICAL AND IN-PERSON CONTACT-- BY UTILIZING TECHNOLOGY FORFAMILY VISITS FOR THEIRRESIDENTS -- MEANING THEY HAVEONLY BEENALLOWING THINGS LIKE FACE TIME,ZOOM OR SKYPE CHATS.MEANWHILE -- THE STATE ISREPORTING 31 KERN COUNTYDEATHS FROMC COVID 19 ARE FROMTHE OTHER 14 SKILLEDNURSING FACILITIES WHO HAVE HADCASES.KINGSTON, VALLEY CONVALESCENT,ORCHARDS,REHABILITATION CENTERS OFBAKERSFIELD, AND WINDSOR POSTACUTE CENTER ARE THE FACILITIESTHAT ARE SEEING MORECASES.MEANWHILE PUBLIC HEALTH SAYING-- THE COUNTY ANDSTATE IS DOING JOINT VISITS TOTHE SITES WHERE CASES HAVE BEENON THE RISE.THEY MADE CLEAR THOUGH THEY ARENOT VISITING EVERYSINGLE FACILITY EVERY DAY.THEY DO TALK TO THE ONES WITHCONFIRMED CASES, EITHER INSTAFF, RESIDENTS, OR BOTH,DAILY.AND THEY HAVE VISITED EVERYSINGLE FACILITY AT LEAST ONCE,AND IN PERSON.PUBLIC HEALTH ALSO SAYS MOST OFTHE STAFF THAT WORK INNURSING FACILITIES WITHIN KERNCOUNTY ONLY WORK ATONE FACILITY; HOWEVER, THERE AREA SELECT FEW THAT WORKAT MULTIPLE FACILITIES.THEY SAID ALL SKILLED NURSINGFACILITIES ARE REQUIRED TOIMPLEMENT MITIGATION PLANS TOPREVENT AND/OR CONTROLTHE TRANSMISSION OF COVID-19.FOR MORE ON STATE GUIDELINES ANDTESTING REQUIREMENTS FOR SKILLEDNURSING FACILITIES HEAD TO OURWEBSITE-- TURN TO 23 DOT COM.