IDAHO — According to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, over 2,000 of the COVID-19 cases in Idaho are related to residents and staff inside nursing homes and assisted living centers.
154 out of the 400 facilities across the state have seen outbreaks since the start of the pandemic.
The Idaho Health Care Association says long-term care facilities were not as impacted in Idaho as they were in other states until this second spike in cases.
Long-term care staff has been working non-stop to ensure their residents stay safe and don't contract COVID-19.
The Idaho Health Care Association Executive Director, Robert Vande Merwe, says the staff working at these facilities need more public support for all they are doing.
"Sometimes, they take the blame for the public, and they are doing the best they can. They still don't have enough PPE all the time, and they still don't have routine testing. We still don't have enough staff. They are working crazy shifts, and it's 24/7, and they are true heroes," Vande Merwe says.
These facilities are still looking for more staff. Click here to see how you can help.
