Rising Covid cases in US nursing homes prompts hospital warnings

Rising Covid cases in US nursing homes prompts hospital warnings Omicron wave has led to staff shortages, meaning hospitals that would normally release patients into care homes are backed up the Guardian

Covid cases are rising rapidly among US nursing home residents and staff, causing shortages in admissions, exacerbating bed shortages at hospitals in turn, and in some cases requiring the national guard to be called in.

The Omicron wave has sent many staff home sick at care facilities and rehabilitation centers that offer round-the-clock medical care. As a result, hospitals that would normally release patients into such stepped-down care are now holding off, creating a backlog of patients stuck in hospital.

“Things are condition critical today. Individuals can’t find an empty or staffed bed out there,” said David Grabowski, professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School.

“It really puts hospitals in a difficult position,” he said, noting that they can’t admit new patients until they find a spot at a care facility for those patients well enough to be transferred. “That’s a huge problem, because they’re occupying a bed that would otherwise go to a new patient.”

There were more than 31,500 cases among nursing home residents in the week ending 9 January, nearly as many as last winter’s peak, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Cases among staff are even higher – more than double last year’s highest record, with more than 57,000 confirmed cases in the week of 9 January, a tenfold increase in just three weeks.

The rapid rise in infections compounds existing worker shortages, with 234,000 caregivers having exited the industry during the pandemic so far – a 15% reduction in the workforce in only two years. ...