Nursing Facilities Are Making Significant Progress Against COVID-19

Nursing facilities across Massachusetts have made significant strides in mitigating the spread of, and preventing deaths from, the COVID-19 virus. To date, over 135,000+ vaccine doses have been administered to nursing facility residents and staff in Massachusetts. Since April 2020 there has been a 98% reduction in daily infections and daily deaths for residents and staff in long term care facilities. This is a significant milestone in the fight against COVID-19.

This progress points to the high vaccination rates of nursing facility residents and staff, and the work of dedicated nursing facility staff and caregivers. Nursing facilities have continued to provide quality resident care, while implementing enhanced infection control protocols, adapting to new regulatory guidance, utilizing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and conducting weekly testing of all staff. Today, nursing facility residents are reuniting with family members and loved ones for in-person visitation as well as continuing to use FaceTime and Skype for virtual visitations. Welcomed by residents, communal dining and group activities such as bingo and trivia have resumed with social distancing in place. See graph.