May 28, 2020 - Health

Louisiana Sen. Cassidy recommends more frequent coronavirus testing of nursing home workers

Rashaan Ayesh

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) has recommended that coronavirus testing of nursing home care workers increase to twice weekly to cut down the infection rate in skilled care facilities.

What he's saying: "If you are infected, on average 5 to 6 days later, you will begin to have symptoms, but you are shedding virus the two days before you become symptomatic," Cassidy, a gastroenterologist, said Thursday at an Axios digital event.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that nursing home workers regularly take their temperature and stay home if they are feeling ill.

Cassidy also said that telehealth could prove to be difficult to integrate into nursing homes.

"Some things don't give themselves to telehealth. What do you do about physical therapy? Occupational therapy? Dentistry? You can't really do those by telehealth. So you are going to have to figure out what to do otherwise."

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Louisiana Sen. Cassidy recommends more frequent coronavirus testing of nursing home workers

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