Gov. Mike DeWine says a new public health order may be coming to help nursing homes, where more than 2,100 cases have been reported, as well as three-quarters of all confirmed COVID-19 deaths in Ohio.
Testing in nursing homes has been happening with the help of the Ohio National Guard, but federal funds for their pandemic-related missions runs out August 7. DeWine said he'll soon be announcing a protocol for continual testing of staff in nursing homes.
“So that will be a constant testing of staffs at nursing homes, and we think that is the best way to try to control this," DeWine said. "It comes into the nursing homes through the staff."
Long-term care facilities say they’ll complete a round of staff testing by the end of the month, with tests going to Quest Laboratories. But that private company says results could take a week to come back because of testing surges.
