by Robin Kemp
New figures from the Georgia Department of Public Health show at least 11 people in Clayton County nursing homes or personal care homes have died of COVID-19. As of May 13 at 2 p.m., GDPH says, 158 residents and 29 staffers have tested positive at five different facilities housing 553 patients.
The GDPH report does not include independent senior living communities such as Ashton Walk in Forest Park, where at least 3 people reportedly have died of the virus, nor does not include the many personal care homes with only a few beds in private homes around Clayton County. GDPH’s report only includes assisted living facilities and personal care homes with 25 or more beds.
According to GDPH, “The report includes COVID-19 activity for all licensed nursing homes, all licensed assisted living communities, and licensed personal care homes of 25 beds or more.”
The data lists two classifications, nursing home and personal care home (PCH). Both personal care homes (which can have fewer than 25 beds) and assisted living facilities (which have 25 beds or more) are listed under PCH in the data.
The most COVID-19 deaths listed were at Riverdale Center for Nursing and Healing, where 4 people have died. Jonesboro Nursing and Rehab Center and Lake City Nursing and Rehabilitation Center LLC, both of which lost 3 residents to the disease. One person has died of COVID-19 at Arrowhead Health and Rehab in Jonesboro. No deaths have been reported at Goldencrest Assisted Living at Morrow.
Jonesboro Nursing and Rehabilitation Center also had the most cases, 66, followed by Riverdale Center for Nursing and Healing, with 33.
Riverdale Center for Nursing and Healing has 20 staff members who have tested positive, followed by 10 staffers at Jonesboro Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
The Clayton Crescent has asked Clayton County officials whether any of these facilities have been sanitized by the National Guard, as well as for a list of all facilities in Clayton County that the Guard has sanitized.
