Eight residents at a Connecticut nursing home have died in a COVID-19 outbreak at the facility in less than seven weeks, administrators said.
Sixty-seven residents and 22 staffers at Geer Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in North Canaan have tested positive for the virus since Sept. 30, administrators said in a statement Friday.
“Sadly, we have lost 8 residents with serious underlying health issues to Covid,” the nursing home said. “We are encouraged to see 69 staff and residents already recovered and coming off isolation.”
A total of 48 residents and 21 staffers have since recovered at the facility, which is now being monitored by the state Department of Public Health, NECN reported.
“Family members of residents in long-term care facilities should also encourage their loved ones being cared for in these facilities to get a booster vaccine,” a DPS spokesperson told the station.
Of the 89 people infected, 87 staffers and residents were fully vaccinated at the nursing home, which houses only 70 residents, NECN reported.
All staff at the facility are continuing to wear masks while “practicing heightened infection control procedures,” a statement on its website reads.
“In addition, we are proud that 99% of our staff have chosen to become vaccinated,” the statement continued. “Unfortunately, none of this is a guarantee — there are reports of vaccinated individuals testing positive for Covid.”
All in-person visits at the nursing home are suspended amid the outbreak, but relatives can set up virtual meetings or meet loved ones through a window. Geer Village first announced three positive cases among residents and staff who were fully vaccinated on Oct. 3.
“Geer Village Senior Community’s top priority is the health and safety of our residents and employees,” the nursing home said Friday. “We encourage the community to reach out with questions. If your loved one should test positive or become symptomatic of Covid-19, we will notify you immediately.”
Residents and employees can get a booster shot once the facility has gone two weeks without any new cases, administrators said.
At least 8,826 people in Connecticut have died from COVID-19 as of Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Roughly 71 percent of the state’s residents have been fully vaccinated.
