DeSantis says all visitors prohibited from Broward nursing homes; those in SWFL taking precautions

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday further restrictions to some nursing and assisted living facilities.

All visitations are now prohibited to nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, adult family care homes, long-term care facilities and group homes in Broward County due to more coronavirus cases in that county.

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DeSantis said more COVID-19 testing kits are being distributed around the state so samples can be tested closer to patients. Hospitals and counties with the highest need will have priority, he added.

The goal is to have 50 certified labs to process 100 samples per day.

“You don’t have to have traveled. If you have the symptoms and a doctor recommends it, you can receive a test. And we want folks to be doing that if they’re experiencing the symptoms,” DeSantis said.

When asked about Florida’s upcoming presidential preference primary he said, “We are definitely voting, they voted during the Civil War.”

Nursing homes in SWFL take extra precautions

As nursing homes take precautions by implementing rules for visitors due to the coronavirus, some say while it may be the right thing to do, it doesn’t mean they’re happy about it.

We talked to John Rossi who says he doesn’t know when he’ll get to see his mom again. She’s in rehab after falling and breaking her leg.

“It’ll probably end up being about three to four months that she’ll be out of the house,” he said.

Theresa Rossi is recovering at the skilled nursing unit at Gulf Coast Medical Center. Thursday, John could visit as he pleased. Now, he cannot until further notice.

“They said only essential personnel will be allowed in the building,” he said. “There’s no fighting the system, it is what it is.”

John knows Lee Health is doing what it needs to do to help slow the spread of coronavirus.

“They were following CDC guidelines and doing everything they can to make it as safe as possible for the patients,” John said. He said he didn’t think it would ever get to this point. “No, no, this is a total surprise that it’s gotten to where you can’t even go visit loved ones in the hospital or rehab facilities.”

But he supports the steps the center is taking to protect everyone.

“I get it, you know, I’m going to miss seeing my mom every day, but I understand that it’s in her best interest that they’re doing this. She was upset. She wanted to, obviously, be able to see family and everything, but after I explained everything to her she understood that it was her best interest that was at stake. As long as we’ll be able to have some contact with her, I think she’ll be able to get through it,” he said.

John said he got a feeling something was up on Thursday when he came to visit his mom. He was greeted at the door by people in lab coats who took his temperature and asked him a bunch of questions. When he got home, he got a phone call informing him of the change.

Reporter: Michelle Mackonochie



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