Nursing homes epicenter of COVID-19 spread in U.S.: report

NEW YORK, March 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. nursing homes have been an epicenter of COVID-19 spread during the pandemic, as the virus initially tore through facilities before vaccines were available in 2020, and then continued to sicken and kill residents at an elevated rate last year, reported The Washington Post on Monday.

Some 200,000-plus COVID-19 deaths occurred among nursing home residents and staff during the pandemic due to inadequate conditions, said the report, citing the White House's Monday announcement of plans to boost nursing home staffing and oversight.

The nursing home industry has warned that the pandemic has exacerbated long-running staffing shortages, noting that roughly 420,000 employees in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, many of whom complained about low pay, have departed over the last two years, according to the report.

On Monday, officials of the federal government said that it plans to set minimum staffing levels, reduce the use of shared rooms and crack down on the poorest-performing nursing homes to reduce the risk of residents contracting infectious diseases.

The White House also said it would scrutinize the role of private equity firms, citing data that their ownership was linked with worse outcomes and higher costs.