ATHENS, Ga. — At least 10 people from one Athens nursing home have died from the coronavirus, officials confirmed Tuesday.
The patients were residents at PruittHealth Grandview.
Channel 2′s Justin Gray talked to a nurse who said she was fired for not going back while still symptomatic for COVID-19. She said she got the virus from a patient who died from the illness.
She was one of multiple nurses who talked to Gray, but most wanted to remain anonymous to protect their jobs.
Nurse Myesha Moore first tipped off Gray to the coronavirus outbreak at Grandview after she was fired. She said the patients at the nursing home were like family to her.
“I’m devastated,” Moore said. “I’m a nurse, and I’m a new nurse at that. I thought I was there to take care of people and protect them and be an advocate for them, and yet I’ve been terminated for being an advocate.”
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Gray reached out the PruittHealth at their Norcross headquarters.
They said in a statement:
“We are saddened to share that 10 patients of PruittHealth Grandview who were previously tested presumptive postive for COVID-19 have passed away in the past few weeks. PruittHealth Grandview continues to operate at an alert code red status and has been strictly following enhanced infectious disease protocol.”
Moore said she feels terrible for the victims and their families.
“I love them, I really do,” Moore said. “And it hurts. It really does hurt.”
PruittHealth denies terminating Moore, and said she is still on the payroll and even scheduled to earn hazard pay.
They also said they are restricting staff at Grandview to only essential personnel right now.
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