Shielding Seniors a Top Priority as Coronavirus Spreads, Pence Declares

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence announced at a press conference on Wednesday that protecting seniors is a top priority as the coronavirus outbreak spreads throughout the country, reports the Boston Herald . "We have raised the bar regarding infectious disease control at our nursing homes," he claimed. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services stated that the new standards include quarantining sick seniors in their rooms, keeping visitors to a minimum, and conducting more inspections. The CDC reported that seniors are twice as likely to get sickened with coronavirus than younger persons, while former CDC Director Tom Frieden said older people with underlying health conditions are more vulnerable to infection. "Anyone with a fever or cough shouldn't be coming into nursing homes, which is good practice for flu season," Frieden urged. American Society of Anesthesiologists' Committee on Occupational Health Chairman Richard Beers said visitors must be screened, while Frieden added that officials for communities where virus transmission becomes widespread should consider banning visitors.