Pennsylvania health officials say the second wave of COVID-19 cases in state longterm care facilities has been caused by mistakes by the facilities, according to an article on the York Daily Record website.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects a second wave to start in the fall, during the traditional flu season, but the increase seen in Pennsylvania has begin early.

Pennsylvania’s second wave has been linked to individuals not taking the proper mitigation steps, such as wearing masks, staying home when sick, washing your hands frequently.

An effective infection control program is especially important during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a Cleaning & Maintenance Management article. All staff in the facility should be involved. The team should include environmental services personnel and facility maintenance staff.

Critics say the biggest failures were letting infected patients back into nursing homes and stopping state health inspections at those facilities during the pandemic. 

Read the full Daily Record article.