The number of coronavirus cases among people with developmental disabilities and the staff that work with them has more than tripled, leaving family members worried more than ever about the safety of their vulnerable loved ones, reports WCVB.
Deb Cooksey hasn’t seen her brother Bob, 58, in weeks. He lives with four other people with developmental disabilities in a group home in Framingham.
“He is really, really well known for his toothy grin,” she said. “He doesn’t understand it. And when we talk to him on the phone or FaceTime him, he is doing a lot of crying. I’m afraid.”
Deb Cooksey’s brother is known for his “toothy grin.”
Cooksey is terrified her brother will become sick.
“There is no social distancing in a home with five residents and at any point in time, nine or 10 staff cycling in and out of the home,” she said.
The number of people with disabilities testing positive jumped 177 percent to 122, and the number of staff jumped 257 percent to 150.
The number of deaths among individuals rose from one last week to a total of three this week.
There’s a severe shortage of personal protective equipment in group homes. And Cooksey is puzzled why the state is not mandating all staff to wear cloth masks at a minimum.
