As cases soar, AARP wants better data
Asks for help at nursing homes, facilities
As Ohio reported more than 2,900 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, AARP Ohio demanded Gov. Mike DeWine take immediate action to protect residents, workers and family caregivers at nursing homes and assistedliving facilities.
AARP Ohio director Holly Holtzen said her organization wants the state “to release the names of nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, and similar care sites with confirmed cases and deaths among residents and staff in an easily accessible, public format.”
“Residents, staff, family caregivers, and visitors deserve to have this information for their own health decisions and as they determine next steps and interventions for their loved ones,” she said.
The Ohio Department of Health reported on Saturday that another 2,915 Ohioans have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 215,697.
That’s the 16th day of more than 2,000 cases and 618 more cases than the three-week average of 2,297 per day, but well below Friday’s record single-day case total of 3,845.
Statewide deaths rose Saturday by 10, which is four below the three-week average of 14 per day. So far, the virus has killed 5,301 Ohioans, according to the state.
Another 163 Ohioans were hospitalized with COVID-19, the state reported Saturday, which is 31 more than the three-week average of 132 hospitalizations per day, state data shows.
There were 18 new admissions to hospital intensive care units, three below the three-week average of 18 new ICU admissions a day.
As of Saturday, a total of 19,132 Ohioans have been hospitalized at some point with COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
Beyond better transparency from the state in reporting nursing home cases and deaths, AARP Ohio wants more accountability for state and federal funding allocated to such facilities.
The association, which represents the state’s seniors, noted that data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services indicate that 34% of Ohio nursing homes still have less than a week’s worth of personal protective equipment (PPE) available.
Even before the recent surge in cases, Holtzen said more than a third of nursing and assisted-living facilities reported a shortage of direct care workers.
Holtzen called the lapses “inexcusable” given that care facilities comprise almost two-thirds of Ohio’s COVID-19 cases. The state totals do not break out data by care facility.
Franklin County added no new deaths Saturday. In total, the county has had 34,104 cases and 643 deaths during the pandemic, according to the state. dnarciso@dispatch.com @Deannarciso