YOUNGSTOWN — One local nursing home organization says the new state requirement to notify employees and families within 24 hours when there is a positive COVID test in a facility won’t change what it does.

“That is already a part of our policy and a part of our pandemic planning,” said Danielle Procopio, director of marketing, sales and communication for Shepherd of The Valley Lutheran Retirement Services, a nonprofit organization.

Shepherd of the Valley has long-term care facilities such as nursing homes in Boardman, Poland, Niles and Howland and a home-health agency that visits people in their homes.

“If any of our sites have an infected staff member or an infected resident, we are notifying all of our employees, and we are notifying all of the resident families as soon as we can.

“We would want them to hear that from us first, so we can answer their questions and let them know what we are doing,” she said.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton also announced Tuesday that the Ohio Department of Health would provide a list of Ohio nursing homes with a positive COVID-19 case on its website. But that list was not on the ODH website as of Wednesday afternoon.

Procopio she she thinks the list will cause “bad feelings” by the public toward the facilities named on it, but “the unfortunate reality is (all nursing homes are) going to be on it.”

She said that during a public emergency such as the one happening now, “it’s important that the state is transparent with its people, and it is important your health care providers are transparent.”

She said COVID-19 disproportionately attacks the elderly, which is the majority of the population of nursing homes.

“Our residents are more vulnerable when you are in a community-housing setting like a nursing home or assisted living. It’s not the best situation to prevent spread,” she said.

WINDSOR HOUSE

Windsor House Inc. CEO John Masternick released a statement Monday saying four of the company’s 12 nursing homes have had at least one COVID-19 case. They are Windsor House at Canfield, O’Brien Memorial Health Care Center in Masury, Masternick Memorial Health Care Center in New Middletown and St. Mary’s Alzheimer’s Center in Columbiana.

“Immediately following the first occurrence of COVID-19 at each facility, all residents and their respective family members were notified concerning the outbreak and the steps Windsor House has taken to protect all residents and staff,” Masternick stated.

“These protections include deep cleaning and disinfecting of the facility by an outside third party, aggressive personal protective equipment usage, droplet isolation for all symptomatic residents, banning of all visitors, discontinuation of all group activities and group dining, screening of all essential deliveries such as food, medicine and oxygen.”

The company is following all steps recommended by the Ohio Department of Health and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Infection, Masternick stated.

The company is keeping close surveillance of staff and residents for flu and sickness symptoms and has asked staff to stay at home and self-quarantine if they feel sick or someone in their home is ill, Masternick said.

All staff are screened for COVID-19 symptoms, and temperatures are taken at the start of each shift.

Employees have been wearing masks and other protective equipment since the beginning of the pandemic and following strict handwashing protocols, he said.