Beaver County nursing home confronts covid-19 outbreak; at least 10 residents infected

Mar. 29--A Beaver County nursing home is scrambling to contain an outbreak of covid-19 that has infected at least 10 residents, officials said Saturday.

The Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center began testing residents Friday night, and the first several results came back negative, the center's leaders said in a statement.

Results received Saturday morning confirmed the 10 positive cases, officials said.

"Affected residents are being seen by a treating physician on a daily basis," the center's statement said.

The 500-bed nursing home on Friendship Circle in Beaver continues to test more residents showing possible symptoms, such as fever, worsening dry cough and shortness of breath.

"At this unprecedented time of the covid-19 pandemic, the health and safety of our residents is our unitary concern and priority," said the statement. "We are working with local and state health departments, as well as taking guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (and Prevention), to help try and contain the spread of the virus."

The center is making use of telemedicine and video calls "to further help reduce exposure to our residents, while maintaining a high level of medical care."

Precautions in place for weeks

In line with nursing homes across the country, the Beaver center suspended in-person visitation and restricted access to the building by nonessential employees weeks ago.

"Likewise, we limited the entrance and exit options for all essential personnel to a single location, and at the entrance, all employees are monitored for their temperature, signs and symptoms, that may indicate any potential symptoms of covid-19," the statement said. "When, and if, an employee shows symptoms that could potentially be consistent with a covid-19 infection, the employee is mandated to return home until a physician approves return to work. We likewise continue to enforce other sterilization and infectious control procedures."

The Brighton center has more than 150 N95 protective masks available, plus 2,000 surgical masks.

"While our thoughts, efforts and prayers are focused on our residents, we would be remiss not to thank the physicians, nurses, aides, housekeepers, dietary teams and all other staff members, who are working tirelessly, going above and beyond, to heroically care for the members of our community," the statement said. "The speed at which they were able to create an isolated unit, to help prevent further spread of covid-19, and the professionalism and dedication that they have shown, is truly remarkable."

Health care workers react

Matthew Yarnell, president of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, said union leaders have requested a meeting with Brighton officials as soon as possible. They already were scheduled to meet with the center's leaders on Thursday.

"Workers have asked to sit down with management at Brighton to make sure the appropriate safety protocols are in place and the frontline caregivers are part of the process in ensuring the safety of everyone at the home," Yarnell said late Saturday in a statement.

"At Brighton and nursing homes everywhere, caregivers will tell you those they care for are not just 'residents' -- they are family. As the largest union of health care workers in Pennsylvania, we share their fear and sadness as covid-19 hit so close to home," Yarnell said. "We also will not stop the fight to demand what they need to protect themselves, their residents and their communities."

U.S. senators monitoring

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey describes the situation as "heartbreaking." The Lehigh Valley Republican said his staff will be looking into what happened at the Brighton nursing home.

"However, it is important that we not jump to conclusions regarding the circumstances that caused this outbreak," Toomey said by email. "In the coming days, my office will be requesting additional information regarding this outbreak from Brighton officials and others."

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, a Scranton Democrat, said he has concerns not only about Brighton but more potential outbreaks among senior health care facilities nationwide. Dozens of seniors have died of covid-19 at nursing homes in New Jersey, West Virginia and Washington state.

"The deadly spread of covid-19 in nursing homes across the country is everyone's worst fear," Casey said by email. "Because nursing home residents and the workers who care for them live and interact in close quarters, all nursing homes are vulnerable to an outbreak -- even those with the highest quality."

Natasha Lindstrom is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Natasha at 412-380-8514, nlindstrom@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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