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The Ohio National Guard is stepping up efforts to test every nursing home staff member for coronavirus

Major General John Harris says staff members present the biggest risk because they are constantly in and out of the facility and may not show signs of sickness.

OHIO, USA — There are some major efforts underway to further protect your most vulnerable loved ones from contracting COVID-19. That includes help from the Ohio National Guard, now stepping in to provide testing to all staff in Ohio nursing homes.

This comes after Governor Mike DeWine made the announcement earlier this week in order to stop the spread of the virus. 

"There are 960 nursing homes in the state of Ohio. So the plan is to go to every nursing home to do staff testing," said Rebecca Sandholdt, the Chief of Bureau of Survey and Certification with the Ohio Department of Health

The plan is to do a soft launch of the testing on Friday. 

Major General John Harris, an Adjutant General with the Ohio National Guard says the testing is crucial because some who might have the virus do not show symptoms. 

"The staff is really what presents the greatest risk because of the fact that they go home. They're operating in the community and then they come into the homes. There's no way around that," said General Harris. 

General Harris, says testing for the coronavirus will be administered through a multi-agency and multi-phase approach, where each facility is carefully tested and evaluated.

"Once a facility is identified for testing, we follow that facility through their entire process. So we are in constant communication with that facility," said Sandholdt. 

First, the Ohio Department of Health will conduct a clinical assessment of each nursing home, which includes a review of floor plans. 

All the information gathered helps General Harris and his members move forward with testing.

"Our intent is to take a strategic approach as we go in. We access and try to get as much information as we can about the COVID condition in the facility and then an after care team will come in," said General Harris. 

It's still unknown which nursing homes will be tested first, but the priority, General Harris says, is saving the most lives.

His team is prepared to step in if any facility needs medical staff to assist.

"Our units are populated with doctors, medics, nurses, PA's and we have the ability to bring those folks together and organize them in such a way that we can accomplish a mission like this," said General Harris. 

"If we identify staff who are tested, then we have to do follow up testing with residents. So, this mission is not over when we're done with these 960 nursing homes," added Sandholdt. 

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