NJ Mandating Universal Testing Of Nursing Home Residents, Staff

Over the next two weeks, each of New Jersey's more than 600 long term care facilities will be required to test all residents and workers as well as provide follow-up testing no more than one week later.

It's all part of a broad testing plan outlined by Governor Phil Murphy on Tuesday that prioritizes screening vulnerable populations and doubling testing capacity to 20,000 a day by the end of May. Murphy says that will bring the state one step closer toward reopening its economy.

Fatalities in long term care facilities account for half of New Jersey's death toll. The National Guard has been deployed to help support staff in at least 15 of the homes.