Pandemic Preparedness
As COVID-19 cases surge again nationwide, many nursing homes — charged with caring for those at the most risk of contracting coronavirus — are still not prepared to cope with a historic health crisis. The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living have released startling data about the failure to have even basic personal protective equipment on hand, finding that only two states have every nursing home prepared with a seven-day supply of surgical masks and gowns. In one state, nearly half of nursing homes have less than a week's worth of N95 masks. Here's a state by state breakdown on supplies based on information released July 30 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (The lower the percentage, the better.)
Related: How to Help the Essential Workers on the Front Lines of the Coronavirus Fight