Florida isn’t tracking nursing home residents who refuse COVID-19 testing

More than 100,000 residents and staff in Florida long-term care facilities have been tested for the coronavirus

THOUSAND RESIDENTS AND STAFF INFLORIDA LONG TERM CAREFACILITIES HAVE BEEN TESTED FORTHE CORONAVIRUS, ACCORDING TOTHE STATE’S LATEST NUMBERS.BUT AS GOVERNOR DESANTIS’ADMINISTRATION TOUTS NUMBER OFCOMPLETED TESTS ..

4 IN YOURCORNER INVESTIGATIVE REPORTERKATIE LAGRONE FOUND OUT THERE’SA KEY ASPECT OF TESTING THESTATE IS *NOT* KEEPING TABS ON..WHICH SOME SAY COULD RAISEYOUR PERSON RISK OF GETTING SICKFROM THE VIRUS.SINCE THE BEGINNINGTHE ELDERLYIN FLORIDA’S LONG TERM CARECENTERS HAVE REMAINED COVID-19’STARGET NUMBER ONE.WITH MORE THAN HALF OF COVIDDEATHS IN OUR STATE LINKED TONURSING HOMES AND ASSISTEDLIVING FACILITIESDESANTIS PRESSER ON 5/29- SEE FLCHANNEL6:29- 1 you have more elderlypopulation, mostly haveunderlying health conditions butyou also have an environmentwhere the virus can spreadrapidly,FOLLOWING A FEDERAL DIRECTIVELAST MONTH THAT EVERY RESIDENTAND WORKER IN A LONG TERM CARECENTER BE TESTED FOR THEVIRUSFLORIDA IS NOW TRYING TOMAKE THAT HAPPEN WITHIN TWOWEEKS.MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED THOUSANDTESTS COMPLETED SO FARROUGHLY30%.BUT WE’VE DISCOVERED WHILEWORKERS IN THESE FACILITIES AREREQUIRED TO UNDERGO TESTING FORTHE VIRUSRESIDENTS ARE NOT7:28- katie- why not make itmandatory for residents?7:33- that’s a question you needto ask the dept of healthWE’VE ALSO DISCOVERE━ ACROSSTHE STAT━ NO ONE IS KEEPINGTABS ON RESIDENTS WHO REFUSETESTING.FLHCA- kristen knapp6:42- you’re right there’s not astate tracking system at thispoint for residents who refuseKRISTEN KNAPP IS COMMUNICATIONSDIRECTOR FOR THE STATE’SHEALTHCARE ASSOCIATION WHICHREPRESENTS NEARLY 600FACILITIES.3:14- isn’t this informationimportant to have- who’srefusing?answer- i think any info we haveabout testing is important ithelps us make clinicaldecisions, it does help usmaking staffing decisionKNAPP SAYS RESIDENTS WHOOBJECTHAVE THAT RIGHTBUT AREMONITORED FOR SIGNS ANDSYMPTOMS..AND WEAR MASKS WHENBEING TREATED BY STAFF.AROUND THE COUNTRY- TRACKINGRESIDENTS WHO REFUSE TESTING ISSPOTT━MARYLANDDOESPENNSYLVANIA SAYS IT WILL"in the near future"AND NEWYORK WOULD ONLY TELL US, "insome cases, residents haverefused."terri mcguire12:10- that’s terrible.

It needsto be tracked.TERRI MCGUIRE HAS A PERSONALSTAK━ HER MOTHER LIVED IN ANURSING HOME ON FLORIDA’S WESTCOASTAND LAST MONTH, TESTEDPOSITIVE FOR THE VIRUS AFTER ASECOND VISIT TO A HOSPITAL.14:03- she knew i was there.TEN DAYS LATERTERRI’87-YEAR-OLD MOTHERDIED- THECOUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINERCONFIRMING HER DEATH--CAUSED BY"Complications of COVID-19"13:40- i’m right here in thecorner talking to herTHIS A PICTURE OF TERRI TALKINGTO HER MOM ONE LAST TIME.13:54- we were singing a song-her favorite song you are mysunshine.WHILE TERRI DOESN’T KNOW WHEREHER MOM PICKED UP THE VIRUSSHEBELIEVES EVERYONE IN A NURSINGSHOULD BE TESTEDAND THOSE WHOSAY NOTRACKED.12:20- who would want to puttheir loved one in a nursinghome that hasn’t tracked thepeople who refuse the test?7:44- i don’t think that’s fairfor either staff or theresidents therON CAM TAGDOH RESPONSE.(STILL WAITING.)THE STATE IS WORKING TO GET ALL355- THOUSAND RESIDENTS