National study finds spike in infections, drop in deaths from covid in nursing homes from omicron compared to previous surge

UNITED STATES – Nursing homes across the country are back to experiencing spikes of COVID cases among their patients.

Those higher case numbers mean once again nursing homes across the country are seeing an increase in deaths, according to a new report released by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living. The study found through the month of December the amount of COVID cases in homes rose from around 5,000 to just over 30,000 cases nationally.

But, unlike previous spikes, this time there is one key difference.

“What happens in communities happens in nursing homes and the good news is the death rate remains low ten times less than what we saw before the vaccine but we are still seeing people get sick to go to the hospital and dying,” said AHCA Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Gifford.

Gifford says while those numbers are encouraging staffing shortages are still a concern, with a 15% loss in staffing across the country since 2020.