DC Seeks COVID-19 Testing For All Nursing Home Residents

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro has announced that the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health will work together with the 13 nursing homes in Dutchess Couty to test every nursing home resident to ensure health and safety.

Dutchess County will launch a pilot program with Wingate at Beacon nursing home, based on their resident count. DBCH will provide initial COVID-19 swab tests as well as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for staff to perform safe and accurate testing.

Marc Molinaro said:

The health and safety of every Dutchess County resident remains our top priority, and caring for the well-being of our most vulnerable seniors during this pandemic is critical. We have seen the ravaging toll COVID-19 has taken on nursing homes throughout our nation, and we are taking proactive steps to ensure we save lives. We thank the dedicated staff at our local nursing homes for their unwavering dedication to their residents, as well as their willingness to partner with us and make this vital testing program a reality

Nursing home safety has been a top priority for Dutchess County throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Molinaro has launched Dutchess County’s Nursing Home Task Force, under the direction of DBCH, to be in regular contact with nursing home leadership.

DBCH Commissioner Anil Vaidian said:

Under the direction of County Executive Molinaro, we are aggressively working to accurately analyze the prevalence of COVID-19 cases in our local nursing homes so we can best treat those who are ill and contain its spread. This testing program is just Dutchess County’s latest effort to protect nursing home residents and personnel from this pandemic, and we will continue to provide both guidance and resources to care for our seniors

To ensure that every nursing home resident in Dutchess County can be tested Executive Molinaro has petitioned Governor Cuomo for 2,000 tests for Dutchess County's Nursing Home Task Force.

More information can be found on Dutchess County's website.

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