South Shore elder care facilities eye omicron surge with concern – The Patriot Ledger

WEYMOUTH – As COVID-19 cases surge in the state amid the spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus, elder care facilities are monitoring the situation with concern.

Last year, during the worst months of the pandemic, the state halted visits at elder care facilities – nursing homes and other long-term care centers – to help protect the state’s oldest and most vulnerable residents.

The state hasn’t indicated whether it would take those steps again – a big difference from 2020 is the now widespread availability of vaccinations – but elder care facilities are closely watching the surge in COVID cases.

“If it continues to get worse, it may come to (visitation restrictions),” said Ken Strong, who leads The Dwyer Home, a nonprofit skilled nursing facility in Weymouth. “We are requiring a mask in the building and there’s no roaming the halls. Visitors have to stay in rooms.”

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Strong said facilities can’t check the vaccination status of visitors, which he said worries him. His biggest fear, however, is a potential lack of staffing as workers go out sick. Workers in elder care facilities are required by the state to be vaccinated, but the state has had thousands of breakthrough cases over the past week. 

“Staffing is what keeps me up at night,” Strong said. 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended 10-day isolation periods for people who tested positive for COVID-19, but this week reduced that to five days of isolation, followed by five days of masking for people who are asymptomatic or whose symptoms are resolving. 

While new COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the state – breaking 1 million this week – cases remain rare among elder care residents. 

Omar Cabrera, a spokesperson for the state Department of Public Health, said in an email the department continues to update guidance “as is necessary to respond to the ongoing pandemic.”

Ellen Laramee, director of clinical and regulatory operations for Welch Senior Living, which operates assisted living facilities on the South Shore in places including Weymouth and Duxbury, said they have not yet had to change any protocols in response to the omicron variant. 

“We are continually monitoring the situation and corresponding guidance from both local and state agencies and intend to maintain rigorous protocols in our communities in order to foster a safe, healthy environment for our residents and staff,” Laramee said in a statement. 

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The Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Dedham sent a letter to families earlier this month asking them to severely limit or avoid visits for four to six weeks. 

The Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System has temporarily halted visits because of the spike in infections. 

“This was a difficult decision, but we are following with concern the rapidly increasing prevalence of COVID-19 in our community, including the omicron variant, which is driving high rates of transmission and hospitalization at a time when we are near capacity,” said Dr. Michael Charness, chief medical officer for the VA system in a statement. 

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Joe Difazio can be reached at jdifazio@patriotledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @jldifazio.