How will Florida nursing homes reopen safely and will rapid tests play a role?

Critics say wrong rapid tests are being sent to nursing homes

ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES TOFAMILY MEMBERS, QUESTIONSREMAIN OVER WHEN THE STATEWILL START LIFTINGRESTRICTIONS.

TONIGHT CONTACT5 INVESTIGATOR KATIE LAGRONETAKES A LOOK AT HOW RAPIDTESTS WILL PLAY A ROLE AND WHYSOME CRITICS FEAR THEY COULDRESULT IN MORE INFECTION RATESAND EVEN DEATHS IN THESEFACILITIES.<< ITSUMMER FOR PENNY PHILLIPS.2:18:50- LAST NIGHT INPARTICULAR I WAS IN TEARS, IJUST COULDNBACK.

THIS IS FIVE MONTHS THISWEEK.

FIVE MONTHS&SINCE SHEHELD HER MOTHERFACE TO FACE WITH HER OR EVENIN THE SAME ROOM.

2:17:46- IDONHOW MUCH LONGER CAN THIS GOON, I JUST WANT TO SEE HER ANDSHE WANTS TO SEE ME.PRE-COVIDHER 91-YEAR OLD-MOTHERRIDDEN SIDE&EVERY SINGLE DAY.2:17:52- I FEEL LIKE IANYTHING.

IWHATEVER GARB THEY WANT ME TOWEAR, JUST LET ME IN TO THEFACILITY AND I WILL BE GOOD,LAST WEEK THE GOVERNORANNOUNCED HEWAYS TO RE-OPEN LONG TERM CARECENTERS TO VISITORS ANDCREATED A TASK FORCE TODEVELOP GUIDELINES WHILE THEYHAVE YET TO MEET- DURING ARECENT ZOOM INTERVIEW, THEHEAD OF THE AGENCY FORHEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATIONWHICH GOVERNS FLORIDA NURSINGHOMES AND ASSISTED LIVINGFACILITIESTESTING WILL LIKELY PLAY AROLE.

(SECRETARY MAYHEW) 8:27-THAT IS GOING TO BE A GAMECHANGER IN HELPING TO FURTHEROUR EFFORTS.

SINCE OURINTERVIEW, WEFEDS STARTED SHIPPING RAPIDTEST KITS TO NURSING HOMESHARDEST HIT BY THE VIRUS.

471FLORIDA CENTERS ON THE LIST.(SECRETARY MAYHEW) 7:56-EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIALTHAT HOLDS IN TURNING AROUNDRESULTS QUICKLY.

(BRIAN LEE)6:40-THEYKIND.

THEYBASED TESTS BUT THOSE ONLYIDENTIFY PEOPLE WHO HAVE FULLBLOWN COVID INSTEAD BRIAN LEE,EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OFNON-PROFIT ADVOCACY GROUP,FAMILIES FOR BETTER CARE& SAYSMOLECULAR BASED RAPID TESTSARE NEEDED SINCE THEY CANDETECT ASYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE.THE FDA ACKNOWLEDGES ON ITSOWN WEBSITE THAT ANTIGEN-BASED RAPID TESTS, WHILECHEAPER, ARE“MORE LIKELY TOMISS AN ACTIVE CORONAVIRUSINFECTION THAN MOLECULAR BASEDTESTS” 9:36- WECALLING FOR THIS FOR MONTHS.THEYITS ALLOWED MORE PEOPLE TO BEEXPOSED AND TO DIE.

LEEBELIEVES MOLECULAR-BASED RAPIDTESTING IS THE ONLY SAFE WAYTO LET FAMILY MEMBERS BACK IN.2:19:15- I(LOOKS UP) ITESTING, BUT I WANT TO SEE MYMOM PENNY PHILLIPS DOESNCARE WHAT KIND OF TEST SHE MAYBE SUBJECT TO&SHE ONLY CARES-THE DAYS LEFT TO SEE HERMOTHER IN PERSON AGAIN ARENUMBERED.

2:27:24- I DONTHINK SHE WANTS TO GO UNTILSHE CAN BE IN THE SAME ROOM ASME.

ON CAM TAG YESTERDAY, WEASKED THE CENTERS FOR MEDICAREAND MEDICAID SERVICES WHY ITSSHIPPING FACILITIES RAPIDTESTS THAT MAY NOT BEACCURATE, A SPOKESPERSON TOLDME DUE TO THE VOLUME OFREQUESTS THEY'RE RECEIVING,THEY CAN'T PROVIDE US ANSWERSTODAY.

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