At least two Lincoln nursing homes took steps to protect their residents Friday evening, after Gov. Pete Ricketts confirmed Nebraska's first case of COVID-19.
Havelock Manor, near 63rd Street and Platte Avenue, has placed its patients in "protective isolation," it stated on its Facebook page.
"We ask that no one come in and no one go out, per our protocol to protect our residents from this deadly droplet virus," the post stated.
Havelock Manor administrators said they would arrange FaceTime visits with family members, but is trying to prevent exposure from the outside.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Nursing Home, 4405 Normal Blvd., is implementing similar protocols to protect its patients, some of which require mechanical ventilators.
"At the end of the day, if we can make decisions with what is best for our patients in mind, that's the best we can do," said Stephanie Farmer, Ambassador's director of customer relations.Â
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"We do not have any confirmed or suspected cases."
Ambassador's administration began preparing for Friday's decision earlier this week as the virus began to slowly spread nationwide.
A nursing home in Kirkland, Washington, has had 11 virus-related deaths. Farmer said that caused an industrywide discussion on preparation.
"It caused the industry as a whole to look at what happened and what could be learned from it," she said. "We tried to be proactive rather than reactive."
Nursing homes, she said, are used to being prepared. Each flu season carries with it the potential for medical emergencies with their residents.Â
To protect residents, those who are experiencing flu-like symptoms are always asked to stay away, Farmer said.Â
The biggest difference the preparing for flu season and enacting Friday's visitor ban was the way it was communicated on Facebook.
"The foundation for both are definitely the same," she said.