The average age for Floridians infected by COVID-19 may have plummeted to the 30s but seniors remain the most vulnerable by far- including those in nursing homes- and AARP state director Jeff Johnson says we need to continue to do everything possible to keep them safe--
"All the things that you've heard about- washing hands and social distance and wearing mask-" Johnson says, "but it also means we have got to increase the testing in these facilities so we can stop the virus at the door."
But a new report by the American Health Care Association says 87% of COVID tests for nursing home residents and staff are taking multiple days to process.
Johnson says the AARP strongly opposes proposals to grant immunity related to the pandemic for long-term care facilities.
"We have seen example after example of facilities that clearly have not been doing what everybody knows they should do to try to control the infection. I don't see how you could in good conscience say they should be exempt from any sort of punishment."
Residents of nursing homes make up less than 2% of Florida's population but more than half of the fatalities from COVID-19.
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