Point Prevalence Testing of Residents for SARS-CoV-2 in a Subset of Connecticut Nursing Homes

Abstract

The first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Connecticut was reported in a nursing home (NH) on March 15, 2020. Within the next 2 months, 80.0% of Connecticut's 215 NHs reported at least 1 case of COVID-19, accounting for 61.6% of COVID-19 deaths in the state. 1 Residents were initially tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) only if symptomatic, as per recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In early May, NHs were prioritized and selected for point prevalence surveys to provide a baseline for residents not previously identified as infected. We describe the results of these surveys in a targeted subset of Connecticut NHs between May 2 and 19, 2020.

50 policies, 1 pandemic, 500,000 deaths: Associations between state-level COVID-19 testing recommendations, tests per capita, undercounted deaths, vaccination policies, and doses per capita in the United States

“…26 Testing asymptomatic people is crucial to preventing outbreaks, since recent reports have shown that up to 88% of infected people do not have any symptoms at the time of testing. 27 Novel methods of testing, and their potential to improve epidemic tracking and to relieve supply chain pressure should be further explored. 13,28,29 Controlling COVID-19 outbreaks is possible, as evidenced by the pandemic responses in, among others, South Korea, Vietnam, Germany, and New Zealand, 30,31 and necessary.…”

Early Phase Management of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in the Geographic Area of the Veneto Region, in One of the World’s Oldest Populations

“…Considering the data presented in other studies [27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35] conducted in nursing homes for elderly people, we would have expected a significantly higher number of cases, and consequently, a higher number of deaths.…”

SARS-CoV-2 in Nursing Homes after 3 Months of Serial, Facilitywide Point Prevalence Testing, Connecticut, USA

“…In the midst of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, nursing homes account for a substantial proportion of total deaths attributed to the virus in the United States and globally ( 1 – 3 ). The high proportion of asymptomatic, presymptomatic, and atypical manifestations of COVID-19 in staff and elderly residents is a critical driver of widespread and rapid transmission of the virus ( 4 – 6 ). Facilitywide testing is a critical tool to identify such infections, particularly in lieu of effective vaccines or treatments early in a novel viral outbreak ( 7 – 10 ).…”

“…The first COVID-19 case was reported in a nursing home in Connecticut on March 15, 2020. Over the next 2 months, nursing homes accounted for 61.6% deaths in the state ( 6 ). After an increase in testing resources and evidence of asymptomatic transmission, the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) began PPS testing in early May, and PPS testing was formally recommended on May 11 and mandated weekly in staff effective June 14 ( 11 , 12 ).…”