SEN. KOLKHORST CONCERNED WITH COVID-19 CASES IN BRENHAM NURSING HOME
State Senator Lois Kolkhorst has urged public health officials to directly intervene at a Brenham nursing home that has reported nearly half of all COVID-19 cases for Washington County.
(courtesy Office of Lois Kolkhorst)
Kolkhorst, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, has been working closely with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), which licenses and regulates the approximately 1,200 licensed nursing homes in Texas.
This includes the Brenham Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, which has recently reported 18 in-house cases of COVID-19, along with four residents currently hospitalized. Of the seven deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Washington County, six of those have been connected to the center.
Kolkhorst in a statement this (Tuesday) afternoon said she has advocated for the HHSC to inspect and intervene at the center to protect its residents and make sure the nursing aides and medical staff there have adequate personal protective equipment (PPE).
At Kolkhorst’s request, state health officials have begun to assist the facility, offering testing and ensuring infection control protocols are implemented to stop the spread. She also stated that she personally called the owner and top executives of the nursing home, urging them to take advantage of the state’s offer to provide the center with needed PPE. Her office is also asking the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to provide testing for all staff and residents.
Kolkhorst said her office is working with long-term and acute care facilities across the state to provide guidance and secure testing, as well as protective gear, to fight COVID-19. She said protecting the health and safety of individuals living in nursing homes is “a top priority”.
Citing the need for better communication and transparency, Kolkhorst said that state regulators require nursing homes to enhance infection prevention and control programs. Facilities are also required to report any suspected coronavirus cases to a local health department or DSHS.
Kolkhorst said nursing homes and congregate care settings such as the Brenham State Supported Living Center are more susceptible to COVID-19, and assured she is “laser-focused” on protecting those populations. She said while the state is making plans to reopen much of the state for business, it will continue to “prioritize state and local resources for our most vulnerable Texans”.