Pennsylvania plans to test all residents, employees in nursing homes for coronavirus

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Gov. Tom Wolf says his administration plans to begin testing every resident and employee for the coronavirus in nursing homes and other facilities caring for older adults.

Wolf said Tuesday his administration will undertake the surveillance testing with a goal of testing every resident and employee once a week. Wolf's health secretary had previously said there wasn't enough available testing to test everyone in a nursing home.

The virus is reported by Wolf's administration to have killed more than 2,600 residents of nursing homes or personal care homes. That constitutes about two-thirds of the state's overall death toll.

Pennsylvania's Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced Tuesday his office has opened criminal investigations into several nursing homes.

The attorney general's office did not say how many facilities it is investigating, or reveal their names or provide any other details about the specific allegations. In general, the attorney general's office has jurisdiction in manners of criminal neglect.

“We will hold nursing facilities and caretakers criminally accountable if they fail to properly provide care to our loved ones," Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a written statement. “While we salute and appreciate nursing home staff on the front lines during this pandemic, we will not tolerate those who mistreat our seniors and break the law.”

The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office is launching a public email for criminal complaints and reports of neglect in nursing home communities at neglect-COVID@attorneygeneral.gov. 

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