During a four-week period in August, 237 Florida nursing home residents died of COVID-19, according to a new report released by the senior advocacy group AARP.

Marianne Duncan works in the rehab room Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021, at Arbor Springs Health and Rehabilitation Center in Opelika, Ala. Coronavirus cases have dropped at U.S. nursing homes and other long-term care centers over the past few weeks, offering a glimmer of hope that studies and health officials link to various factors, including the start of vaccinations, the easing of a post-holiday virus surge and better prevention. (AP Photo/Julie Bennett)(Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Essential caregivers are those who provide health care services or help with daily life, including dressing and eating, while compassionate care visitors provide emotional support. Daniel said she fought hard for compassionate care visitors to be able to hug residents. All visitations will be by appointment and long-term care residents can designate up to five visitors, with two at a time seeing someone. Essential and compassionate care visitors are exempt from the 14-day rule, according to the governor. Mayhew said the current positivity rate for COVID-19 infections among long-term care staff is about 1.2%.

“Why is it that the department of health, which should be our most reliable source of answers during this crisis, is constantly playing hide and seek with information?” Chitwood wrote in a Facebook post. "Today they're saying there was some kind of miscommunication and you will get those addresses tonight," Chitwood said. News 6 also requested a list of all facilities with COVID-19 patients from the Agency for Healthcare Administration. “I believe what happened was when we posted our post last night [on Facebook], we tagged the governor and said hey this is B-S. He said he does not publicize the addresses of the facilities and only shares them with his first responders.