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As with many areas of our societies and economies, COVID-19 exposed andexacerbated existing vulnerabilities in nursing homes. Long plagued withcombined crises including under-funding and staffing shortages, nursing homesbecame the epicentre of the global pandemic. As of mid-October, estimatesfrom 21 countries which had available data show that in countries where nursinghome deaths were reported, on average 46% of COVID-19 deaths were carehome residents.Within many countries, the numbers of lives lost paint a bleakpicture: In the United States, 68,000 COVID-19 deaths were of nursing homeresidents or staff – 40% of the country’s total. In Canada, long-term care homesaccounted for more than 80% of COVID-19-related deaths, in Spain estimatescount 63%, and in Australia 75%.