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

FIVE MONTHS AFTER THE GOVERNORLOCKED DOWN NURSING HOMES ANDASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES TOFAMILY, QUESTIONS REMAIN OVERWHEN THE STATE WILL STARTLIFTING RESTRICTIONS.

4 IN YOURCORNER’S KATIE LAGRONE TAKES ALOOK AT HOW RAPID TESTS WILLPLAY A ROLE AND WHY SOMECRITICS FEAR THEY COULD RESULTIN MORE INFECTION RATES AND EVENDEATHS IN THESE FACILITIES.(21-28)(103-108)(124-132)IT’S BEEN A LONG━ LONELY SUMMERFOR PENNY PHILLIPS.2:18:50- last night inparticular i was in tears, ijust couldn’t hold the tearsback.

This is five months thisweek.FIVE MONTHSSINCE SHE HELD HERMOTHER’S HANDSAT FACE TO FACEWITH HER OR EVEN IN THE SAMEROOM.2:17:46- i don’t know i justfelt like how much longer canthis go on, i just want to seeher and she wants to see me.PRE-COVI━ PENNY HAD BEEN AT HER91-YEAR OLD-MOTHER’S BED-RIDDENSIDEEVERY SINGLE DAY.2:17:52- I feel like i’ll doanything.

I’ll test, i’ll wearwhatever garb they want me towear, just let me in to thefacility and i will be good,LAST WEEK THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCEDHE’S CONSIDERING WAYS TO RE-OPENLONG TERM CARE CENTERS TOVISITORS AND CREATED A TASKFORCE TO DEVELOP GUIDELINESWHILE THEY HAVE YET TO MEET-DURING A RECENT ZOOM INTERVIEW,THE HEAD OF THE AGENCY FORHEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION WHICHGOVERNS FLORIDA NURSING HOMESAND ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIE━TOLD US RAPID TESTING WILLLIKELY PLAY A ROLE.(SECRETARY MAYHEW)8:27- that is going to be a gamechanger in helping to furtherour efforts.SINCE OUR INTERVIEW, WE’VELEARNED THE FEDS STARTEDSHIPPING RAPID TEST KITS TONURSING HOMES HARDEST HIT BY THEVIRUS.

471 FLORIDA CENTERS ONTHE LIST.(SECRETARY MAYHEW)7:56- we’re thrilled that thefederal gov’t is working tosupport distribution of thesetests.

Excited about thepotential that holds in turningaround results quickly.(BRIAN LEE)6:40-they’re sending the wrongkind.

They’re sending antigenbased tests but those onlyidentify people who have fullblown covidINSTEAD BRIAN LEE, EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR OF NON-PROFIT ADVOCACYGROUP, FAMILIES FOR BETTER CARESAYS MOLECULAR BASED RAPID TESTSARE NEEDED SINCE THEY CAN DETECTASYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE.THE FDA ACKNOWLEDGES ON ITS OWNWEBSITE THAT ANTIGEN -BASEDRAPID TESTS, WHILE CHEAPER, ARE"MORE LIKELY TO MISS AN ACTIVECORONAVIRUS INFECTION THANMOLECULAR BASED TESTS."9:36- we’ve been calling forthis for months.

They’re notlistening and so its allowedmore people to be exposed and todie.LEE BELIEVES MOLECULAR-BASEDRAPID TESTING IS THE ONLY SAFEWAY TO LET FAMILY MEMBERS BACKIN.2:19:15- i’ll do anything(looks up)i’ll go for testing, but i wantto see my momPENNY PHILLIPS DOESN’T CARE WHATKIND OF TEST SHE MAY BE SUBJECTTOSHE ONLY CARES- THE DAYS LEFTTO SEE HER MOTHER IN PERSONAGAIN ARE NUMBERED.2:27:24- i think she livesanother day so someday we can betogether physically.

I reallydo.

I don’t think she wants togo until she can be in the sameroom as me.YESTERDAY, WE ASKED THE CENTERSFOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAIDSERVICES WHY ITS SHIPPINGFACILITIES RAPID TESTS THAT MAYNOT BE ACCURATE, A SPOKESPERSONTOLD ME DUE TO THE VOL