Minnesotans deserve to know if the nursing homes, assisted-living centers and other care settings that house their loved ones have residents or staff test positive for COVID-19. On Thursday, the state health department commendably corrected course to ensure that families have this critical information as the epidemic continues to unfold.
Until now, Minnesota had let individual care providers decide whether to disclose this information. Some, such as Roseville-based Presbyterian Homes & Services, have issued swift notifications. But it's unclear how many others have voluntarily done so.
Families should not be dependent on providers, said state Sen. Karin Housley, R-St. Mary's Point. "I would want to know," she said.
Housley's late parents lived in a long-term care center. If they were still alive, she said she would have worried constantly as the disease spread. Eleven of the 18 people who have died of COVID-19 in Minnesota were residents of long-term care facilities. Statewide, 47 such centers have at least one confirmed case.One care center has eight cases.
As counterintuitive as it sounds, knowing if a care facility is affected provides peace of mind, Housley said. Informed families can call to ensure care centers are taking appropriate infection-control measures, for example. That's especially reassuring when restrictions prevent visits.
While few would likely move residents to another facility because of how difficult it is to find long-term care, some families might wish to take other precautions, Housley said. Some may want seniors without complex medical needs to temporarily stay with them until COVID-19 subsides.
Housley was drafting a bill to require disclosure when MDH reversed course. She said she'll still continue to work to ensure that state officials have flexibility to provide critical public health information should it ever be needed in the future.
