Cape Cod COVID Outbreak Prompted Rapid Response Team: What That Means

YARMOUTH, MA — An outbreak of COVID-19 at the Windsor Skilled Nursing and Rehab Center in South Yarmouth resulted in the deaths of five people. Over 90 people tested positive for COVID-19, Patch confirmed on Monday.

This outbreak at Windsor raises the COVID-related death total there from one to six, according to state data. As a result, the Massachusetts Department of Health activated a rapid response team and instituted an admissions freeze, both of which are still ongoing.

According to a state memorandum issued in 2022, the admissions freeze can be lifted after five days. It hasn't yet been lifted as of the most recent state report, even though as of March 3 Windsor isn't reporting any cases, according to the state's elder facilities report.

However, with the rapid response team still at the South Yarmouth facility, the question bears asking: who are these people, and what exactly do they do?

In short, the team is made up of roughly 10 to 12 licensed nurses and certified nursing assistants.

Those professionals are assigned to the facility in even numbers of both licensed nurses and CNAs. They're then integrated with staff at the facility and provide a range of support to the staff, ranging from clinical care like giving out medications to taking audits of the facility's personal protective equipment.

So when does the state send in this team? There are a few factors.

A facility must have at least two cases of COVID-19 or another infectious disease, to start. Additionally, the facility must be facing staff shortages to receive support for clinical staffing and infection control.

Patch has reached out to Integritus Healthcare, the parent company of Windsor, for comment.

However, in the Cape Cod Times report of the initial wave of cases, Vice President of Business Development and Marketing Lisa Gaudet offered this statement:

"We are in communication with the Department of Public Health and their rapid response team is working with us; and we are doing everything that we should be doing, in response to the outbreak."

Read more: 5 Dead After COVID Outbreak At Cape Cod Nursing Home