State Rep. Hank Vaupel, chair of the House Health Policy Committee, has been appointed by Gov. Whitmer to serve on the state’s Michigan Nursing Homes COVID-19 Preparedness Task Force.

The nursing home task force has until Aug. 31 to provide the governor with recommendations for how COVID-19 patients should be cared for at nursing home facilities in the case of a second wave of the health crisis.

“As a senior myself, I am eager to get to work and find effective solutions to protect our vulnerable nursing home residents who need us advocating on their behalf,” Vaupel said. “The impact this virus has had on our elderly population, especially those living in nursing homes, has been horrific. I am proud to give them a voice during this uncertain time.”

The task force will include a Republican and Democratic state representative and senator, Licensing and Regulatory Affairs officials, and 13 individuals with “personal or professional interest” in nursing home residents or workers.

The task force created under Executive Order 2020-135 comes in response to increased COVID-19 cases among nursing home residents that resulted from the administration’s decision to put recovering COVID-19 patients into nursing homes.

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