New COVID Case Surge Threatens Third Spike in Nursing Homes
Patrick Connole
10/20/2020
The American
Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) released
a report showing nursing homes
could see a third spike of increasing new COVID-19 cases due to the community
spread among the general population.
Recent data released by John Hopkins and the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS) show that with the recent rise in new COVID cases in
the general U.S. population, weekly nursing home cases rose in late September
for the first time in seven weeks after new cases dropped significantly
throughout August and early September.
According to
John Hopkins, COVID cases in the general U.S. population rose by 62,139 cases
per week in late September, correlating with an uptick in nursing home cases
during the week of Sept. 27.
As experts have repeatedly noted,
COVID-19 cases in a surrounding community are a top factor in outbreaks in
nursing homes. David Grabowski, MD, professor of Health Care Policy, Harvard
Medical School, recently said, “The strongest
predictor of whether or not we’ll see cases in [a particular setting] is
community spread.”
“The No. 1 factor in keeping COVID out of our nursing homes, so we can protect
our vulnerable population is reducing the level of the virus in the surrounding
community,” said Mark Parkinson, president and chief executive officer of
AHCA/NCAL.
“While the
support we have received from Congress, the administration, and other public
health agencies have helped our facilities fight this battle, we could still
see another wave of COVID cases caused by the sheer volume of rising cases in
communities across the U.S. given the asymptomatic and presymptomatic spread of
this virus.”

The report showed new COVID cases in nursing homes had declined significantly
from 10,125 cases the week of July 26 —when the country experienced a growing
number of cases in the Sun Belt states—but saw an uptick in
new cases in the final week of September.
The report
also showed COVID-related deaths in nursing homes had declined significantly,
but industry leaders remain concerned about the recent uptick in new COVID
cases in facilities.
With new COVID cases now rising in the general population
of 38 states, Parkinson said now more than ever Congress needs to end the
partisan logjam and prioritize frontline health care workers and residents,
particularly vulnerable elderly populations.
Most of the $175 billion Provider Relief Fund provided by the CARES Act back in
April has already been distributed, and Parkinson said health care providers,
including long term care facilities, will need additional funds to continue its
response to the COVID pandemic heading into the cold and flu season, which
provides new challenges.
“Without replenishing funds for federal and state agencies, health care
facilities, including nursing homes and assisted living communities, could find
themselves less than completely prepared for the challenges of the upcoming
winter season, which could inevitably result in an uptick in new COVID cases,”
Parkinson said.
“Without adequate funding and resources, the U.S. will
repeat the same mistakes made during the initial outbreak last spring and the
major spike over the summer. We need Congress to prioritize our vulnerable
seniors and their caregivers in nursing homes and assisted living communities,
by passing another COVID funding package before they leave town for the
elections.”