CT Prepares For Nursing Home Coronavirus Overflow

CONNECTICUT— Department of Public Health officials are confident that there will be enough coronavirus recovery facilities for nursing home patients as cases across the state ramp up. However, they cautioned that loved ones should stay in nursing homes and not be taken to family holiday gatherings this year.

“We are concerned potentially about individuals leaving nursing facilities to go to family gatherings for Thanksgiving,” said DPH Acting Commissioner Deidre Gifford. “We certainly understand the desire for loved ones to be together over the holidays… however, it does pose a particular risk for the elderly to be exposed to individuals who they don’t live with."

The state currently has plans for four COVID-19 recovery facilities with a total planned capacity of 334 beds, which could be expanded up to 400 beds if needed, said Adelita Orefice, senior advisor at DPH. The number of beds could be increased by adding additional capacity at the sites or opening other locations, she said.

There were 95 residents in a CRF facility as of Tuesday morning and 105 additional beds are available, Orefice said. The number is very fluid and a number of discharges are planned in the coming days.

DPH is confident that there will be enough CRF capacity after doing modeling scenarios in conjunction with the Yale School of Public Health, Orefice said.

CRFs can be used to supplement nursing homes that are experiencing large coronavirus outbreaks by moving Covid-positive patients. Outbreaks pose a two-fold challenge; the number of residents who get coronavirus increases and staffing becomes a challenge if employees are infected and need to quarantine.

CRFs can also be used for nursing home residents who are discharged from the hospital after a coronavirus infection, but are still contagious.

“All nursing homes have the infection control skills and the skill set necessary to care for Covid-positive patients, but we also needed the overflow capacity that these CRFs provide,” Acting DPH Commissioner Deidre Gifford said.

The state also provides a rapid response team to assist with widespread testing and other needs at nursing homes that are experiencing outbreaks.

The CRF sites include Quinnipiac Valley Center in Wallingford, Torrington Health and Rehabilitation Center, Westfield Care and Rehabilitation Center in Meriden and Riverside Heatlh and Rehabiliation Center in East Hartford. DPH is looking for a possible CRF facility in the eastern part of Connecticut. Two of the facilities were previously vacant and two others have wings dedicated to coronavirus patients.

CRF capacity reached around 50 patients during the spring surge, but DPH officials expect that number to be higher for the winter.

Residents can decline to be transferred to a CRF, Acting DPH Commissioner Deidre Gifford said. The decision to move a nursing home resident isn’t taken lightly.