HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The number of deaths from the coronavirus, or COVID-19, is going up. Four of them were residents at Life Care Center in Washington State.
Barbara Stripling, AHC Millennium Administrator, says elderly people can be more susceptible to respiratory viruses.
"They're more vulnerable, and the babies and the elderly population are more vulnerable for any respiratory illness," said Stripling.
The first thing you'll see when you walk into the building is a sign. The sign explains that people with a fever or cough not visit residents and asks healthy visitors to clean their hands before and after leaving the building.
"We have increased our rounds. We're always diligent on handwashing and making sure that we have the antibacterial, the hand soap," said Stripling. "Now, what we're doing is focusing and doing double the rounds to make sure that we have the products in the hand dispensers."
They say they're treating this like the flu. They're encouraging everyone to use their hand sanitizing stations throughout the building often.
"In flu season, this is what we do. We protect. We're aware. We stay in communication with the Department of Public Health," said Stripling. "We clean. We make sure we're using hand sanitizer. We do rounds and audits on hand washing."
They say the nursing home has plans in place to identify the coronavirus, and they'll know what to do if someone is diagnosed with COVID-19.