BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (March 2, 2020) -- An outbreak of coronavirus disease in a nursing home near Seattle is prompting urgent calls for precautionary tactics at America’s elder care facilities, where residents are at heightened risk of serious complications from the illness because of the dual threat of age and close living conditions, Kaiser Health News reports.
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (March 25, 2020) -- As a hospice nurse in Seattle, Diane Speer said giving out hugs to patients and family members was a routine part of home visits.
But in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, she now tells family members to keep their distance.
“There’s no touching hands or handshakes,” said Speer, who works for Renton, Washington-based Providence St. Joseph Health. It’s “time for a virtual hug.”
