WORCESTER, Mass. - The Dodge Park Rest Home in Worcester is one of four nursing homes across the state that is dealing with an outbreak of COVID-19.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health ordered the dementia care nursing home to put a freeze on accepting new patients as of February 28. 

Co-owner Micha Shalev said nearly half of their 60 patients and nine employees have tested positive. All staff and residents are required to have the COVID-19 vaccine boosters, so Shalev said the illnesses haven't been too bad.

"Unfortunately, this is something with shared housing like where we are, we can still be on the fence to dealing with this kind of outbreak," Shalev said. "This is a very transmittable variant, and for people to think COVID is over, COVID is not over by any means."

Shalev said they're still allowing visitors, but everyone must be tested before entering the building. The state's admission freeze will be lifted once the infection numbers ease.