State health secretary failed to address COVID danger in nursing homes
The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a tragic number of deaths in Pennsylvania and throughout the nation. Here in Pennsylvania the tragedy has been compounded by the fact about 65% of the deaths have occurred in nursing homes or personal care facilities.
And that horrific death rate can be attributed in large measure to the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s policies requiring COVID-19 positive patients to be housed in such facilities. Officials need to be held accountable and the first person responsible is Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine who should resign immediately — or be fired by Gov. Tom Wolf.
As the coronavirus began its death march across the globe it was immediately known that older persons were most susceptible to the disease. The preponderance of deaths from COVID-19 has been among those with other underlying health problems. Such underlying health problems tend to be more prevalent among older demographics placing them at extreme risk.
In an expose partially authored by reporters for the Bucks County Courier Times it was revealed that on March 18 — as the coronavirus pandemic surged across Pennsylvania — Dr. Levine “directed licensed long-term facilities to continue admitting new patients, including those discharged from hospitals but unable to go home, and to readmit current patients after hospital stays.” The order stated: “This may include stable patients who have had the COVID-19 virus.”
The article reports “Coronavirus spread like wildfire through many nursing homes.” It adds Dr. Levine had been forewarned. The American Health Care Association cautioned her directives put “frail and older adults who reside in nursing homes at risk.” At risk indeed.
Today thousands of older Pennsylvanians have died, trapped in facilities that had no way of preparing to handle the rapidly spreading virus. Worse, sources have told me that the Department of Health has cut back on inspections at such facilities. They have even denied testing supplies to at least one nursing home which had requested kits to test staff for coronavirus.
This adds up to epic ineptitude such that those responsible no longer have the credibility or public confidence to continue in office.
Factor out the nursing home deaths and many counties could immediately begin to lift stay at home orders and to safely reopen businesses. Dr. Levine and Gov. Wolf have rebuffed efforts by lawmakers and county officials to change the metric to not include nursing home deaths so the process of rebuilding our state’s economy can begin.
By continuing to count nursing home deaths, greatly impacted by state health department policies, the Wolf Administration is artificially delaying the resumption of business activity. Adding fuel to the fire are the constantly changing metrics and statistical adjustments. From an attempt to inflate the numbers by including “presumed” cases in case and death numbers to county Coroners challenging death counts, the Department of Health’s statistical reporting has lost all credibility.
The state Legislature has expressed the will of the people bypassing numerous bills aimed at opening up various segments of the state’s economy — only to have them fall victim to the governor’s veto pen. County commissioners in all regions of Pennsylvania have petitioned the governor to allow their counties to begin the process of re-opening. He has turned a deaf ear.
Thus the adverse health consequences and economic pain continue to grow because of the governor’s stubborn reliance on the advice of a state health secretary whose policies have made a bad situation significantly worse. Gov. Wolf needs new advisors. The Pennsylvania Department of Health needs a new leader.
It is time for Rachel Levine to go.