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A Burlington nursing home hit hardest by the coronavirus is transferring at least 10 residents who have not tested positive to a hotel.
Burlington Health and Rehab made the transfers on Tuesday afternoon, as the state announced 20 new confirmed cases and two additional deaths.
Residents from the facility account for 14 of the total 95 cases, and five of seven Vermont deaths. Two Health & Rehab staff members have also tested positive.
On Tuesday, the facility moved its short-term patients to the DoubleTree by Hilton Burlington, where they’ll be quarantined for two weeks until they can return to their homes. The patients will be cared for by University of Vermont Medical Center staff, said hospital spokesperson Annie Mackin. None of the residents have tested positive for COVID-19 and none are experiencing symptoms, she added.
The move is “meant to keep patients isolated until there is no risk of contagion,” according to a release from Burlington Health & Rehab. The state Agency of Human Services will pick up the tab for the rooms.
Albert Petrarca, one of the residents who moved to the DoubleTree, said Burlington Health & Rehab hadn’t provided adequate information to residents, and could have done more to prevent the spread of the virus. He found out about the first positive test at the facility last week not from staff, but from a friend of a friend. When that woman passed away two days later, “they didn’t come and tell us that either,” he said. “Then three more people passed away. And they didn’t tell us that either. So they have kept us in the dark about everything,” he said.
Petrarca had urged the facility leadership to test everyone and respond more decisively. “They dropped the ball by waiting so long,” he said.
Another resident also pushed for days to get a test, according to the man who will care for the former Burlington Health resident upon his release. The resident was tested last night, but will remain at the DoubleTree regardless of the results, according to the caregiver.
Lori Mayer, spokesperson for Burlington Health & Rehab, said staff were making an effort to keep residents informed. “We are communicating with patients, residents and families twice daily (noon and 6pm) via video conference to make sure everyone is up to date with the latest developments,” she said.
Moving residents to a more secure facility was a necessary step, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger said Monday. Hee urged the facility to find ways to separate those who are sick from those who are well, and to do so “as soon as possible.”
“What is needed now is immediate action before there is further tragedy,” Weinberger said.
The facility will continue to quarantine patients to their rooms, require employees to wear protective gear, screen patients for symptoms twice a day, and deep clean patient rooms.
Approximately 75 patients at Burlington Health & Rehab will remain at the facility “as they are not short-term patients,” according to the release.
Health Department Commissioner Mark Levine said Monday that he found those steps adequate.
The department has “found no fault in their infection control practices or procedures,” Levine said.
