Pennsylvania Long-Term Care Facilities Take Proactive Steps to Prepare for COVID-19

HARRISBURG (March 3, 2020) – Zach Shamberg, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association (PHCA), today issued the following statement recognizing the preparedness efforts of Pennsylvania’s nursing facilities, personal care homes and assisted living residences to proactively address the potential threat of COVID-19, or coronavirus:

“The trained health care professionals in Pennsylvania’s nursing facilities, personal care homes and assisted living residences take very seriously the potential threat of coronavirus, as the safety and well-being of residents and staff is always our highest priority. Our members are focused on minimizing risks by implementing heightened preventative measures and fundamental infection control protocols, including the use of eye protection, standard hand hygiene procedures, contact and airborne precautions, and other key practices within their communities.

“Preventive measures include daily cleaning of commonly touched environmental surfaces; re-educating all staff – both clinical and nonclinical – on proper use of personal protective equipment; implementing policies to stop visitors who are sick from entering the centers, providing them with alternative ways to visit with their family members; and ensuring health care providers avoid working while ill and putting proactive policies in place to account for potential absenteeism during a community-wide outbreak.

“PHCA will remain in close contact with the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Department of Human Services, the CDC, and other state and federal partners to monitor the virus and communicate updated information and ongoing resources to our members.”