Governor Holcomb sending the National Guard to help long-term care facilities fight COVID-19

Governor Eric Holcomb announced today the Indiana National Guard will be stepping in to help long term care facilities fight COVID-19.

The indiana national gaurd will be stepping in to help long term care facilties fight covid-19.

This as several long term care facilities across the state are continuing to see an outbreak of covid-19 news 18's meredith hackler joins us live in the studio now with how this new effot will work meredith?

Jeff..

Sam according to governor eric holcomb 75 percent of all covid-19 deaths are of people that are 70 years of age or older.

50 percent of those deaths are occurring in long term care facilities.

Now the governor and the indiana state department of health are taking more steps to stop the spread.

Here is how it will work.

The indiana national gaurd will be deployed to long-term care facilities that already have an outbreak of the virus.

National gaurd members will focus on data entry and testing..so that care facility employees can focus on treating residents.

The state will also be providing more ppe to facilities .

The state department of health will also be re-enforcing infection control protocol and updating several recommendations.

We will start with facilities that already have a registered outbreak.

Just so you know an outbreak by definition is 1 case.

So we are going to be getting out all over the state of indiana.

Along with all of these new efforts..

Long term care facilities will have access to the health care reserve workforce.

These efforts will go in to full affect starting november 1st and will continue through the end of the year.

Governor holcomb continued to defend his choice to open up the state to stage five of his re-opening plan.

I'll break down why he says stage 5 is working coming up on news 18 at 6.

Until then live in the studio meredith hackler news 18.

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