East Twin Cities

Minnesota's long-term care facilities are the topic of botched COVID-19 testing, but Sen. Karin Housley (R-St. Mary's Point), Senate Family Care and Aging Committee chair, issued a statement on the reports. 

“The residents and staff of long-term care facilities are on the front lines of this battle each and every day – and for months, they have been asking for help," Housley said in a press release from the Minnesota State Republican Caucus. "At a time when the State of Minnesota should be coming to their rescue, I was incredibly disappointed to instead hear of such problems with the Department of Health’s rollout of widespread testing this week."

The Star Tribune reported that the commissioner said a "rapid launch [in which] important steps in the process were missed and there were miscommunications" was the reason of the botched testing, according to the press release. But Housley said in the release that she had urged universal testing for long-term care facilities and sent recommendations to the Department of Health. 

"Almost a month ago, I urged the administration to offer universal testing and implement workable guidance to long-term care facilities," Housley said in the press release. "This was not something that nobody saw coming. There should have been ample time to develop and implement concrete plans for efficiently and effectively testing all residents and staff in long-term care settings, particularly at facilities where there are outbreaks – and it’s distressing that did not happen here. What is it going to take for Minnesota to take this seriously?”