Coronavirus cases in Pinellas long-term care facilities reach highest peak of pandemic

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – A grim record was set in Pinellas County on Tuesday when long-term care facilities there reached the highest peak of COVID cases since the pandemic began, according to the county’s COVID dashboard.

The dashboard shows there were 2,569 cases reported in Pinellas County long-term care facilities between July 12-18. But, according to the most recent data, the COVID cases in these facilities spiked to an all-time high of 2,699 cases between Dec. 13-19.

“We’re concerned across the board until we see zero cases of COVID we’re going to be concerned across the board,” Tom Iovino from the Department of Health in Pinellas County said.

Iovino said they’re calling on those visiting the facilities for help.

“Employees, visitors, vendors who are coming to these facilities who are infected – it’s more important now than ever that we stress that, even during this time we start to see the vaccines arrive, that people maintain that proper social distance,” Iovino said.

Although some residents have received their first dose of the COVID vaccine, Iovino said they haven’t reached their full 95% immunity yet.

“Even if someone does get their second dose, it’s going to be a few weeks until that complete immunity is built up,” Iovino said. “Almost like when you get the flu vaccine and how it takes about two weeks to build up immunity to the flu, it’s the same with this. It’s going to take a little bit of time to build up the immunity.”

8 On Your Side called many long-term care facilities in Pinellas County on Tuesday that are dealing with the COVID spike but they didn’t want to talk.

However, the Heritage House Assisted Living facility on South Belcher Road in Clearwater said they would speak with us to share their secret to success.

“We have been able to keep COVID out of our building since day one,” CEO and Founder Pilar Carvajal said.

Carvajal attributes their zero COVID case success to three things: Staff training, sanitization and keeping visitors outdoors.

“I have a great team, I’ve got to say. Every time I go there, I’m so proud of them. It’s immaculate!” she said.

Carvajal said she is hopeful residents in her facility will get the vaccine by the end of January. She said, according to the governor’s orders, hospitals were first in line to receive the vaccine, then nursing homes and then assisted living facilities.

Carvajal said both nursing homes and assisted living facilities count as “long-term care facilities.” However, nursing homes have around-the-clock medical care for each resident, where assisted living has skilled workers to assist all residents with everyday tasks.

You can find a full list of long-term care facilities in Florida with COVID-19 cases broken down county-by-county on the Department of Health’s website.