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May 4, 2020

Are Nursing Home Deaths Half of All Coronavirus Fatalities in NJ? Dr. Stephanie Silvera Remarks

Posted in: College News and Events

A person leaves the facility is placed in an ambulance at the Andover Subacute and Rehabilitation Center on April 16. Police said 17 bodies were stored in a room at the nursing home in Andover.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media
A person leaves the facility is placed in an ambulance at the Andover Subacute and Rehabilitation Center on April 16. Police said 17 bodies were stored in a room at the nursing home in Andover. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media

Dr. Stephanie Silvera, Professor in the Public Health Department, remarked on the relationship between the number of coronavirus deaths and nursing homes in New Jersey for NJ.com. She stated that it’s not unexpected that nursing homes would make up such a large portion of the state’s total COVID-19 deaths, and New Jersey’s share of nursing home deaths to total deaths is in the middle of the pack when compared to the 22 other states that have been reporting totals specifically for nursing homes.

Additionally, Dr. Silvera noted that including presumed or probable COVID-19 deaths in one total but not the other is problematic: “Any time you’re comparing data, you want them to be as close as possible so that it’s apples-to-apples.”