Failure to Sanitize Facilities

During the COVID-19 pandemic, proper hygiene is essential. Health authorities agree that an effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 includes sanitizing surfaces, proper hand washing, and other hygiene measures. In a location such as a nursing home, there are many common areas and many people are touching common surfaces, making proper hygiene especially important.

Sanitization in nursing homes can mean increasing the frequency of cleanings and considering surfaces residents may come into contact with. It can also mean ensuring cleaning products used will be effective in killing COVID-19.

Nursing home staff and owners have an obligation to make sure that they implement correct hygiene at their facilities, and this includes sanitizing procedures. Nursing homes in Homestead, Hollywood, and other South Florida communities should:

• Ensure they are using quality sanitizing materials
• Sanitize regularly
• Use extra sanitizing on guard rails and areas which may be touched by multiple residents
• Properly dispose of used rags, cloths, and other sanitizing equipment
• Have written policies for promptly sanitizing areas
• Audit their cleaning and sanitizing processes to ensure they comply with current guidelines
• Stay alert for updates from health authorities about current best practices

When correct sanitization does not happen, COVID-19 can easily spread. Someone who has the virus may not have symptoms yet may touch doorknobs, handles, guard rails and other common surfaces. The next person to touch those surfaces may get the virus on their hands. If they then touch their face, eyes, or mouth, they can get infected with COVID-19.

There are many things that nursing homes in South Florida can do to prevent outbreaks. It is very important that they do so because elderly patients and residents are especially vulnerable to the impact of COVID-19. While a young person getting COVID-19 may suffer no more than the symptoms of a mild flu, an elderly patient with the same virus can experience pneumonia, difficulty breathing, and even death. So far, most fatalities involving the novel coronavirus have involved elderly patients. Due to the increased risk, nursing homes have an especial obligation to their residents.

To keep residents safe, it is important for nursing homes to clean all services frequently. Nursing home residents, especially if they have mobility issues, may touch common surfaces more frequently than the general population. They may rely on guard rails or grab bars in washrooms, for example, to get around and to perform everyday tasks.

If a nursing home does not properly care for its residents and residents get sick as a result, families may be able to seek compensation. To find out whether your family qualifies for compensation, contact Flaxman Law Group. Our team can meet you virtually or over the phone answer your questions and to discuss your potential case. Contact Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) for a free accident consultation with a Hollywood or South Florida nursing home abuse and negligence attorney. Our team has more than six decades of experience helping families like yours.