JFIFdPhotoshop 3.08BIMH@Nursing Home Staffing Decreased in States Shielding Facilities f720260602PSCIENMAGUAuthoraNursing Home Staffing Decreased in States Shielding Facilities from COVID-19 Malpractice Lawsuits Science@https://scienmag.com/nursing-home-staffing-decreased-in-states-s© 2026 Sciencehttps://scienmag.com/A recent study led by researchers at UCLA has uncovered a concerning correlation between legislative protections granted to nursing homes and a decline in staffing levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. States that implemented tort immunity laws shielding nursing facilities from COVID-19-related lawsuits experienced a measurable reduction in staff hours, potentially exacerbating the challenges faced by […]ScienceMedMedicineMedicine/COVID-19 legal immunity unintended consequences(COVID-19 malpractice lawsuit protections'effects of COVID-19 immunity provisions-impact of tort immunity laws on nursing homes)legal protections and healthcare staffing)nursing facility staff shortages pandemic"nursing home resident care quality,nursing home staffing levels during COVID-19%pandemic challenges in long-term care*skilled nursing facility workforce decline-state legislation and nursing home operations$UCLA nursing home research 2018-2023C    !'"#%%%),($+!$%$C   $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$"?!1A"Qaq2B#b%&3R$s5r/!1A"Qa2#Rq34 ?2A jF̆cC9VQ}'qCw.L yx)䙳1:}) 8 Ҙ+VZ4i s|eaw0̷BM^#wSpM%kkemIXW&f,FZѷC Jm6C'PL>V9ۉAjhZ\٫!NI+wZʝYTdu3"=!q=R>xUk C[ZntTIg82 WhI*RS4*[M-aTiGj.u.=$'4٨%pb6LdRh%;Z7}/9t<{D9ZT CZUڋ̀Tm0Vo[ umWimNPmbF]Ç OZj,am*T9Sqq_IVC>a rQP W@ M7-K)i(zeR6PM]-nNS|{P2 祖`g2b97$mc p %>3D&p7%]~CqMMl'1KOCਸ1y7h ettU*Ik*1 St:(.((9i)Mm& edƯ֞S/h [+bFPޖJ$$Y`gJֲ%Ι?._0m%DVzm%KdH6 ߻a9zdud)AE<lU;G9X'!`[hZ9ڔl WÞg^&N f}ğHS #*J mR*JO*1zRϩ!O_"kV,KLlffhTsWWo;}}VI=⺎hZZbYS 85ngiy8)5 ZuǕhӵS[CHt)_<N),}%X[R”ӊζ; %,RPr;ҰHѺ{$;W]1o>WYܔZm8؅p !-R\屜ViVZ-ovHŻ@qT=;7Pbɉ}Jq#!C{6CNTE~ԅHSL4mL($nX^*tT=RKpL+.[j^Τm=JP7޵KJڕoKii_)Ʈ?#:%eaYA'ؐރΩ$J1Z{QbJPV:%cE4څ=Uu Knd?Z:i#b'5c~).\:Q2 KQҒYF39(FqE~k~+Zs丧:JGgةT=0brF.$GGn--X[=rj?h}[wFpA=pzѺvܙI`+B₤E/ϗq )-4r_7pH&4s[iW;Qu$ [iHBTHi8Le$WlSv=ǜ@B}#~ -Xj&/'ތFr qҘv=BZB>FrJdvX=ylsU+УgRjr x~+?]@my42Fye(oO Pupv;]1o]X| 7(E\ }큞'' ysGG| MS Z} 8)gavI8RYPw3n7huXV[!x'^OnjfZR@?^+̺D# =q !7|k#,)"+nlNz}?%_a3 i 8.|>)I;"anTxZ'OxCYviVmrJꭠ:OJ.XlA=G)%oB‰I=(颦ی;:ߝK]P`qRgjϿ|M-2֜)Ce.Gu ^ I,; (=)`,$GPW Q.B"'#LV;51 c#U~#u79.|yR[T\ܬ/L8׸ZԆ -C[DŽΆ}竣 |2Ya)[$#ZV1td;v-O')m)xQ$ėIVZ%sɱ4|-'γmQ-ɐ)8Qq_;P2 {!YI g棞=[?jKIp_$U^E.` s>WHCD{ 5a#9)>Jrse|u45.@yA?s e c8Vvĭ8W}V&=.: 䄃iId6o쿼zX-Hm9@Cc=awVxH <\aP$w5j&S y,< 8vZ6anFsݴm!rS' 8}[v$ט(ۏ&=hIFu@e[OqȢrRTz)5ZO:›NJ\ f\\ Ԩޝx@jW17Xbn@P+7TuV\K7o`ي0^[s$ko on8J➒GI4zsTGibKR/n[h)0F HGq9Lj>~g+Zk68V\9[+?sT$. HJKFDk";Y]Cj K}pzVm)>YEz ZԍnPe{+[kkhӒ\i4%r4m.9ikkXvơgYb>P>º\֠KOJڒ JmoqEofyk?֘MₔƲW=?t~'MڞFY%MZI?!N<\B@=?Y@uk)$llMi/I-[]Jj$Uv= >d[;/Ρs],5a嶲88=Ep~On?GJl?5iY^$ W^~il22D&$,p{yHz*IVQuffkIm,VR3njڊ)x_;T\Lp]YVwdF5ĕo8Jqi[syv1fcdԍEnpyVN0:t ڞmHvѲCi5#?cI[.Wj [uİr?0}z&w(blO;W@O y *Jՙ?B'EJ+ ZIRIUNJ\=jZ+fO4qRԃ+C牊^Vmj.(;ZBlr8RVΎƚ3?#_ORj,ږ.nsREk`ls5PWUJ(ϙP9Rfʕ*Vf