Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill into law Thursday that will give people more information about COVID-19’s impact on nursing homes.
Starting November 15, the law requires the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to post weekly reports with information such as current visitation policies and the number of new cases and deaths among residents and staff.
Last week, MDHHS revised its reporting system for COVID data in all licensed long-term care facilities, not just nursing homes. Those changes mean the department is already meeting many of the new law’s requirements.
One new requirement, however, is that MDHHS publish data stretching back to the start of the pandemic so that people can track COVID in facilities over time.
The bill was sponsored by Representative Leslie Love (D-Detroit), who has been vocal through the pandemic about what it's like having a mother in a nursing home.
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