More Than 130 Nursing, Long-Term Care Facilities Have COVID-19 Cases, But PPE Is Still Lacking, An Employee Who Tested Positive Says
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The Maryland Department of Health reports there are more than 130 nursing homes or long-term care facilities in the state with at least one positive COVID-19 case.
A FutureCare employee who tested positive last week spoke to WJZ on the condition of anonymity.
"They do not have enough PPE. They've been asked to wear trash bags. One of my friends described how they were getting swim goggles at the dollar store for the shields," the employee said. "It was a lack of preparedness, a delay in taking this whole epidemic seriously."
The employee has not been in the facility in about 10 days but said their co-workers still don't have the proper equipment.
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In a statement to WJZ, FutureCare said its "highest priority continues to be the safety and wellbeing of our staff and residents."
The company said it is working to obtain more personal protective equipment. They say they are "following the PPE recommendations outlined by the Maryland Department of Health and CDC."
The state sent its "strike team" to Calvert Manor Healthcare Center in Cecil County on Saturday. The county health department Monday announced the death of one of the center's residents, a man in his 80s with underlying health conditions. He said the strike team assessed the facility and determined it is "taking appropriate steps to contain the outbreak."
Cecil County Health Officer Laura Levy spoke this weekend to the continued lack of testing resources.
"Unfortunately, the testing kit availability remains limited, and so we have to be strategic about our use of testing kits," Levy said.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.