McLean County officials dispute state COVID numbers at nursing home

Jan. 5—BLOOMINGTON — McLean County health officials disagree with a state report that indicates 11 McLean County Nursing Home residents have died due to COVID-19.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, there have been 82 cases of the coronavirus at the McLean County Nursing Home and 11 deaths.

But McLean County Nursing Home Administrator Terri Edens says those numbers aren't accurate.

"We have had 14 deaths in the building," Edens told the McLean County Health Committee Monday, "and according to our infection control, we had six COVID deaths and eight were other. They had other causes. They had heart trouble or COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or something. I can't say for each individual one, but we have had only six deaths with COVID."

Currently, five residents have been diagnosed with the coronavirus and a sixth is in the hospital, Edens reported.

According to Edens, there were only a few coronavirus cases at the facility through October. One resident came in with it in October. In November, seven residents and 11 staff members tested positive.

But in December, the cases rose significantly, she said.

"I don't know why, because we haven't changed anything," she said. "We are in full PPE, we are still hand-washing, we are still in-servicing, and they are wearing everything and I'm not sure except I guess everybody is out and about. I'm not sure. It just takes one to come in and then. . . We are just as flabbergasted as you are. And I was beside myself. It is unfortunate that it is going through. Our numbers are down now and hopefully it will stay that way. I can't promise that but my nursing staff and myself are doing everything in our power to keep it out of here as much as we can. We're working on it. I don't know what else to say."

No admissions are being taken at the facility at the current time, Edens said.

"I want to make sure that our COVID numbers are down and stay that way," she added. "We are doing that in the best interest of everyone. Hopefully by next week, with us being down to five residents with it, we will be able to start admitting new residents. They will have to have the vaccine before they come in. We will do all of the CDC and IDPH guidelines as far as putting them in isolation and quarantining them for 14 days."

Committee chairman Susan Schafer called keeping residents in nursing homes free of COVID-19, "a challenge."

"I think we have done a pretty good job," she said. "I think when you read IDPH's website, they just give you a number and they don't give you the explanation on the number of COVID deaths versus other reasons. We are a nursing home and there are other reasons and people have other issues and I think it is good to explain that there is a difference."

"Our media doesn't really know at times and are getting information that is handed down or is not correct," added County Board Chairman John McIntyre. "One example is the IDPH report on deaths related to COVID and they are sometimes late and sometimes written down or attributed to COVID-related things. Our nursing home is a great example because there were some people on hospice already and sometimes it is difficult to have a good numbers on those kinds of statistics."

The vaccine for residents and staff is scheduled to arrive next Tuesday, Edens said. Clinics through Walgreens are scheduled for Jan. 12, Jan. 22 and another will be scheduled during the first week of February.

"As far as employees go, they are all pretty much saying yes (to get the vaccine)," she said. "A couple of them are on the fence. As for the residents, we still have a couple of families trying to convince the residents that they do want it."

Edens said about 50% of the residents have agreed to take the vaccine at this point.

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Contact Kevin Barlow at (309) 820-3238. Follow him on Twitter: @pg_barlow

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