Franklin nursing home Claiborne & Hughes is 52% positive for COVID-19

The facility has 108 residents, of which 51.9% tested positive for the virus.

There have been three deaths at the facility among those who tested positive, according to Steven Friedman, the facility’s chief operating officer.

Five residents have been hospitalized.

“We are proud of the fact that we didn’t have any cases going into September,” Friedman said. 

He said the facility took all of the necessary health precautions, such as restricting visitors even before it was mandatory, following cleaning protocols, following guidelines for isolation and quarantine, and monitoring residents for symptoms. 

“Despite our best efforts it got into our facility, and this is the nature of it,” he said.

Friedman said that the “vast majority” of residents are asymptomatic and being monitored, while half of the reported cases have been resolved.

The facility has a COVID-19 wing for patients to receive care.

“We are very appreciative of our staff,” Friedman said. “The fear of the unknown and heightened sense of health protocols over the past few months has been stressful. They went above and beyond to make sure we didn’t have cases until now. 

“There is light at the end of the tunnel,” Freidman said.

Friedman said patients are able to get effective care because hospitals are not overrun and treatment practices have improved since the virus first began.

Other facilities affected

The state reported a total of 140 reported cases among residents and staff at nursing homes and assisted care facilities in Williamson County:

• NHC Place at Cool Springs: Six residents, 29 staff members
• NHC Place at Cool Springs Assisted Living : Four residents, seven staff members 
• Harmony at Brentwood: Four residents, three staff members
• Somerfield at the Heritage in Brentwood: Two residents, one staff member
• Fountains of Franklin: One resident, one staff member
• NHC Healthcare in Franklin: Zero residents, three staff members 

At a budget committee meeting on Monday, Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson expressed his concern over the countywide uptick in cases with an increase of 144 active cases in seven days.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 520 active cases in Williamson County with a spread rate of 0.218%.

Anderson encouraged the public to maintain social distancing, wear a mask and wash hands frequently.

“Let’s not let this thing get away from us,” he said on Monday.