Florida Nursing Homes Brace for Coronavirus Impact

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on March 24, 2020

It is impossible to turn on the television these days without seeing an assortment of news reports on the COVID-19 pandemic. As the number of people infected continues to rise, many states all over the country have begun to take matters into their own hands. From social distancing to mandatory stay-in-place orders, governors from across the nation are initiating specific strategies to ensure the safety of its citizens and combat the spread of the coronavirus.

According to daily updated press releases from the Florida Health Department, there are an additional 185 confirmed cases as of Tuesday morning, bringing the entire state’s total to 1,412, with 18 deaths. Although COVID-19 seemingly infects people of all ages, it is no secret that the most vulnerable to this deadly disease are the elderly and those with an already compromised immune system from a previous illness. These statistics, coupled with the fact that over 20% of Florida’s population is over the age of 60, it certainly raises a heightened alert to a demographic that is far too frequently overlooked in the time of crisis – those who reside in assisted living & long-term care facilities.

As the novel coronavirus continues to ravage nursing homes across the United States, Florida specifically has 19 reported cases of their own to now deal with. In the early days of the outbreak, when nobody really understood what they were dealing with, let alone the gravity of the situation, caregivers and medical personnel continued their daily routines like normal, traveling from their homes to hospitals (and everywhere in between) unknowingly contributing to the infection rate. Even now, weeks later, our “front-line fighters” are struggling to acquire COVID-19 test kits, respirators, and essential basic medical supplies critical to keeping people alive. A statement released by Kristen Knapp, a spokeswoman for the Florida Health Care Association, “nursing homes and long-term care facilities have been working ‘tirelessly’ to take steps to protect frail, elderly residents.”

It is important to note that officials have yet to impose any type of mandatory testing for residents as a precautionary measure.

Sources:

• Coronavirus surfaces in 19 elder care facilities in Florida
• Residents at 19 long-term care facilities across Florida have or are suspected of having coronavirus
• Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Florida on March 24

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.