Following up on his letter to the Governor, Senator Dan Laughlin today questioned Health Secretary Rachel Levine about regular COVID-19 testing of employees at nursing homes and extended care facilities during the joint public hearing of the Senate Community, Economic & Recreational Development Committee and Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee on the Governor’s COVID-19 actions.
In his letter to the Governor, Senator Laughlin noted the continuing increases in the number of COVID-19-related deaths in care facilities that closed to the public.
“More than half of Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 deaths involve nursing homes or extended care facilities. That is somewhat surprising considering that these facilities have been closed to visitors since the beginning of the stay at home order,” Senator Laughlin wrote. “As such, that raises a question as to whether transmission of the virus involves employees. Therefore, I strongly recommend that the Department require weekly testing of all employees who work in nursing homes and extended care facilities.”
Contact: Matt Azeles mazeles@pasen.gov