AARP COVID-19 Nursing Home Dashboard Shows Rise In Cases

Wyoming’s rate of COVID-19 cases and deaths inside Wyoming skilled nursing homes rose during the four-week period ending October 23, 2022. That is according to AARP’s COVID-19 Nursing Home Dashboard. 

Wyoming’s rate of 6.0 nursing home resident cases per 100 residents - the third-highest rate in the nation -  is up from the previous four-week period, which was 4.5. The only states with higher residential rates are New Hampshire (10.12) and Maine (9.16). In all, there were 107 reported cases of COVID-19 among nursing home residents in Wyoming over that four week period. There have been 2,217 resident cases in Wyoming nursing homes since June 1, 2020.

Wyoming’s three deaths of nursing home residents due to COVID-19 over the last four weeks equates to .17 rate per 100 residents. That gives the state the sixth highest rate in the country. 

On the staff side, 63% of all Wyoming nursing homes confirmed at least one COVID case among staff in the four weeks and 85 total cases among the state’s nursing home staff. 

AARP’s COVID-19 Nursing Home Dashboard shows improvements in the percentage of nursing homes in Wyoming self-reporting a staff shortage. Though still high at 60.6%, that is lower than last month’s rate of 62.9% of nursing homes that reported a staff shortage. There are three other states with higher self-reported rates of staffing shortages - Alaska (70%), Minnesota (64%) and Maine (63%).

Nationally, new data on "up to date" COVID-19 vaccinations, incorporating the new bivalent boosters available since September 2, shows significant vulnerability among nursing home residents and staff going into the winter season. Only 2-in-5 residents (40%) and less than one quarter of health care staff (24%) were up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations as of Oct. 22. Wyoming has 44% of its nursing home residents who are up-to-date on COVID vaccines. Just 22% of nursing home staff are reporting they are up-to-date on COVID vaccines.

National Trends

For this dashboard, up to date on vaccination means that someone has gotten the bivalent booster, or had a completed primary series or other booster within the past 2 months.

Compared to the previous dashboard, the rates of resident deaths and cases during the 4 weeks ending October 23 are down slightly, but the trend is increasing.

• Over 700 residents died from COVID-19 during the 4 weeks ending 10/23/22, and more than 35,000 were infected.
• Approximately 1 in 1500 residents died from COVID-19 during these 4 weeks, compared to 1 in 1200 during the 4 weeks ending 9/18/22.
• Approximately 1 in 31 residents tested positive, compared to 1 in 30 during the 4 weeks ending 9/18/22. One third of U.S. nursing homes had at least one resident case.
• Rates of deaths and cases have been rising throughout October. Each of the 4 weeks covered by the current dashboard saw more resident cases and more deaths than the previous. This increasing trend is worrisome. In the last two winters, the most severe COVID-19 impacts occurred in late fall and early winter, and lagging booster rates put many residents and staff at increased risk of infection and adverse outcomes.

Rates of staff COVID-19 infections are down significantly compared to the previous dashboard. 

• During the 4 weeks ending 10/23/22, there was 1 new staff case for every 41 residents, compared to 1 for every 27 residents during the 4 weeks ending 9/18/22.  
• Nationally, there were more than 27,000 staff infections during the 4 weeks ending 10/23/22.  There was at least one staff case in half of U.S. nursing homes.
• While flat for most of the dashboard period, staff cases have also begun to rise again.  
• For the third month in a row, 25% of nursing homes reported a shortage of nurses and/or aides. Staffing shortages are likely to increase if there is another fall/winter surge.