- Credibility:
LOGAN SQUARE — More than 130 seniors have been infected and 14 have died in a coronavirus outbreak at Woodbridge Nursing Pavilion in Logan Square.
Patricia Correa, an administrator at Woodbridge, said the nursing home at 2242 N. Kedzie Blvd. is fighting the outbreak by testing all of its residents, even the asymptomatic ones. She said the widespread testing allows for a “more aggressive” isolation strategy.
“You cannot fight an invisible enemy without being able to see your enemy,” Correa said in an email.
Woodbridge was one of the first skilled nursing facilities in Chicago to take this widespread testing approach, Correa said.
Meanwhile, other Chicago nursing homes like the Center Home for Hispanic Elderly in Humboldt Park are struggling with testing. It’s not immediately clear why some nursing homes are doing widespread testing and others are not. Gov. JB Pritzker in recent weeks has promised to ramp up testing at longterm care facilities across Illinois.
At Woodbridge, the biggest challenge right now is the lack of staff, Correa said. Nine nurses there have tested positive for the virus.
WBEZ reported that Woodbridge is so short-staffed an administrator had to bring in her family members to work as kitchen staff.
Correa said they need more nurses and nursing assistants, as well as workers in the laundry department and in evening housekeeping. Those interested in applying should email sdelaney@woodbridgerehab.net.
As far as protective personal equipment, Correa said Woodbridge remains “committed” to supplying its workers with protective gear such as medical-grade masks and gloves.
The community has also stepped up and donated supplies in recent weeks. Ald. Scott Waguespack’s 32nd Ward office recently dropped off 140 N95 masks and “various sanitizers,” Correa said.
As of Friday, Woodbridge has seen 131 infections and 14 deaths tied to the coronavirus, Correa said.
The Illinois Department of Public Health, however, lists Woodbridge as having 151 confirmed cases and seven deaths as of May 1.
Correa said the numbers the Illinois Department of Public Health is currently reporting are not accurate. She said she has reached out to the department to resolve the issue.
A spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Public Health said because the data changes “hour by hour,” facilities and local health departments have the most up-to-date data.
The spokesperson said the state is only counting cases that have been confirmed in a laboratory and those that are epidemiologically and clinically linked. The state database is updated weekly, not daily.
“While reporting sounds fairly straight forward, it is quite complex and we are doing our best to be transparent, while also being responsible,” the spokesperson said in an email.
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