Doctors try to safeguard nursing home patients from COVID-19
This is part of our Coronavirus Update series in which Harvard specialists in epidemiology, infectious disease, economics, politics, and other disciplines offer insights into what the latest developments in the COVID-19 outbreak may bring. As the number of cases and deaths alike mount from COVID-19, the respiratory illness associated with the new coronavirus, the toll of fatalities at a skilled nursing center in Washington state reached 19, highlighting the deep danger the virus presents to the elderly. Harvard-affiliated Hebrew SeniorLife offers a continuum of care for 3,000 elderly people daily, with a range of services including residential assisted living, short-term rehabilitation, outpatient services, and long-term care for those with chronic illness. In a Q&A interview aimed at understanding the challenges involved, Harvard Medical School Assistant Professor Helen Chen, Hebrew SeniorLife’s chief medical officer, discussed steps the facility has taken to combat the virus and the outlook going forward. Q&A Helen Chen GAZETTE: How concerned are...