Respiratory virus season is imminent, and the Pennsylvania Department of Health wants nursing homes to be prepared.
Long-term care facilities are ideal environments for respiratory viruses to spread and multiply. The Pennsylvania Health Care Association reports that some 80,000 Pennsylvanian's live in these congregate settings. Most residents are elderly or medically fragile, many have chronic health issues. This winter, facilities may have to deal with simultaneous outbreaks of the flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
Pennsylvania Department of Health is directing the state’s nearly 700 nursing homes to review and update their infection prevention and control plans. Also, they should monitor respiratory virus activity in their communities.
If a facility has an outbreak or laboratory-confirmed cases of flu or RSV, they should notify the health department. Some counties mandate reporting of positive COVID-19 tests, though the state strongly encourages voluntary reporting in all other counties.
The state recommends but does not require people who work in long-term care facilities to be vaccinated for the flu or COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises adults aged 60 or older to receive the RVS vaccine.
In the last flu season, 24 Allegheny County residents died of influenza. Since Oct. 1 of last year, more than 400 people have died from COVID-19.
