The California Department of Public Health has an up-to-date data dashboard that tracks COVID-19 outbreaks at skilled nursing facilities. This dashboard includes cumulative and current data on residents and healthcare workers who have tested positive for the virus. This dashboard can be found under the California Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 updates, in the section titled, “COVID-19 Skilled Nursing Facilities.” Alternatively, one can use the following link: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/ DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/SNFsCOVID_19.aspx.

In addition, the Los Angeles Department of Public Health maintains a list of facilities with outbreaks on its website at the following link: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/locations.htm It should be noted that neither list is totally reliable. One should ask facilities whether they have had residents or healthcare workers with COVID, whether they have had any COVID-related deaths, and what steps they take to ensure residents without COVID are not exposed to residents or workers who have been infected. One should also make sure that the facility regularly tests its healthcare workers for the virus and that it checks workers and residents for symptoms and temperature every day.