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In reply to the discussion: All K-12 schools in Pennsylvania shut down for 2 weeks amid coronavirus outbreak [View all]DeminPennswoods
(15,286 posts)nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Their license to operate can be pulled. That is plenty of influence to have over their operations in normal times.
Right now the state is busy telling all of us who can go out, who has to stay home, that private businesses are to deny service to any customer without a mask on, what private businesses can and cannot open and is operating under an emergency declaration where Gov Wolf has claimed and used broad powers. So stop with the gov't regulation vs private business cannard.
Dr Levine and DoH knew there was a big problem at this specific facility. It made national news and was being covered by local news and newspapers for pete's sake. They had enough influence to recommend an outside consulting firm to the facility's ownership that they then hired. The state could have sent in its own inspectors to review the processes, procedures, plans or whatever. That is what the local state reps were calling for, more inspections. There could have even had a surprise inspection to avoid pre-inspection prep. The reason this has blown up now is because inspectors caught employess not washing their hands or sanitizing equipment after the outbreak and that was made public. It's why Lamb got involved and is calling for a federal investigation. It's why the state is very belatedly hiring and paying for a full-time on-site manager who will report to the state.
You and I both believe in government. This is a failure of government at all levels to do its job protecting public health and safety. I think Gov Wolf is a stand-up guy and has generally tried to do the right and least disruptive things during this epidemic. But, he should acknowledge the state's failure here. And he should acknowledge the reason we cannot re-open is because the DoH did not properly use the tools available to it to manage the outbreak better. There should be a plan to address the outbreak, that plan should be implemented asap so the rest of the county can re-open. If it means temporarily supplementing staff with national guard personnel or DoH personnel, renting hotel space to quarantine staff, moving well residents to a seperate floor with their own staff, do what's necessary.
And, yes I understand our republican state legislature doesn't believe in gov't, business regulations or raising taxes meaning agencies like DoH are understaffed with inspectors, have fewer regulatory tools and so on.
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Ftr, my mom was in assisted living and did a couple of rehab tours in skilled nursing over about four years. I know most inspections are announced in advance and the facilities clean up prior to the visit so everything is in order and being done by the book. Then the inspector leaves and everything reverts back to business as usual.