VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) -- 58% of Indiana's total COVID-19 deaths come from residents in long term care facilities From the start, these facilities have been a concern. They house a high-risk group in close quarters.
"Unfortunately we've seen that play out over the last 8 months," Dr. Lindsay Weaver with the Indiana Department of Health said. "We are now experiencing a surge in COVID in our long term care facilities."
So, the state has announced it will deploy the Indiana National Guard to long term care facilities.
They will help with testing, reporting test results, screening employees, and simple infection control practices. This way, the facility staff can focus on patient care.
Right now, the Indiana National Guard will only be going to facilities with positive cases.
Silver Birch here in Terre Haute isn't one of those.
"We currently do not have any covid positives," Crystal Rickards, the Executive Director for Silver Birch said.
She said, right now, her team is doing what the national guard would be tasked with doing. She said that's how they are keeping an eye on their numbers
"We are doing a screening every day for our staff and everyone who enters the community. They have to take their temperature and answer our 5 questionnaires. We are also monitoring our resident's temperature every day," Rickard said.
The goal is to start this operation on November 1st in facilities that have positive cases. Eventually, they'll expand to all 535 facilities across the state.
