Resident deaths from COVID-19 in U.S. nursing homes have dropped from a January peak, hitting what appears to be the lowest level since the summer of 2021, according to the latest numbers from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Approximately 67 residents died from the virus in the week ending March 27, close to a low not seen since June, The New York Times reported Monday. That was before cases caused by the delta variant had begun to surge. In comparison, more than 1,500 residents died from the illness during the week of January 23, in a wave caused by the omicron variant.
Officials expect the number of COVID-19 cases to tick up once again as the omicron variant BA.2 gains traction as it is doing overseas. In the United Kingdom, fully 1 in 13 people were estimated to be infected last week, according to the Associated Press.
Skepticism meets lack of urgency
It’s important for operators to remain vigilant, some experts say. But a lack of urgency about the need for second COVID-19 booster shots may leave some facilities unprepared for a new wave in cases, one nursing home policy expert told the Times.
“We have a lot of nursing homes around the country that lag behind,” said David Grabowski, Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School, referring to facilities whose residents rely on Medicaid and/or service minority populations of color. “Real issues of equity” could appear between nursing homes whose residents get a second protective shot and those who don’t, he said.
It doesn’t help that health officials have failed to make a solid case for getting protective boosters in arms, Brendan Williams, president and CEO of the New Hampshire Health Care Association, told the Times. He sees mixed messages coming from the federal government resulting in skepticism. The lack of preparation is concerning, he said.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has not made the CDC’s recommended second booster for the vulnerable a regulation for nursing homes. But the requirement that facilities educate residents and staff about COVID-19 vaccinations and offer to provide shots still stands.
