Georgetown nursing home reports fifth death, 56 residents positive for COVID-19

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - A fifth death has been reported at a Georgetown nursing home.

We told you about pictures posted on Dover Manor’s Facebook page showing construction workers and employees not wearing masks. That post has since been deleted, but employee Chelsea Taylor says there’s more to the story.

“There’s nowhere near 109 employees and my boss actually quit yesterday,” Taylor said.

Taylor has worked in the dietary area for two months. She says the facility is so short-staffed, residents aren’t getting the care they deserve.

“Sometimes there’s one person that works the whole entire night by themselves,” Taylor said.

Dr. Crystal Miller with Wedco District Health Department says this is an issue.

“They have quite a few positive staff members, and then on top of that, have had some employees quit,” Dr. Miller said.

Miller says the health department is focused on educating the Dover Manor employees on PPE and isolating residents that test positive.

But Taylor says there’s no enforcement.

“We don’t have quarantine halls, they’re scattered everywhere,” Taylor said.

The state completed an infection-control survey of Dover Manor on Aug. 11. A representative tells WKYT that no citations were given, staff have been told to practice social distancing and construction took place months ago.

Dr. Miller says she’s watching the rising numbers.

“You don’t have this many positive cases in a facility without a breach in your infectious disease protocols, so we’re very concerned,” Dr. Miller said.

Pat Wise, vice president of rehab services at Dover Manor, told WKYT’s Shelby Lofton that the facility is in communication with Wedco every other day.

She denied Taylor’s statement that residents are scattered, saying there are COVID units set up with physical barriers.

She says all employees have been required to wear the appropriate PPE in every part of the building since March.

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