Family celebrates birthday outside of nursing home

For relatives of those in nursing homes, the the COVID-19 pandemic has literally put them on the outside looking in, communicating with parents and grandparents through windows or by smartphones. Their greatest fear is that their loved ones will be left to face the virus alone.

Courtney Templeton's 69-year-old mother is a resident at the Sundale nursing home in Morgantown, West Virginia, where 29 residents and staff have tested positive. Recently, Templeton was bound and determined to celebrate her daughters 6th birthday at the nursing home despite her mother testing positive for COVID-19.

"My mom's having a hard time," Templeton said.

"My daughter's gonna be six. And to not be able to be around and or even across the room from her or anything like that, it's gonna be really hard on her. So I told her that we would come out there."

Templeton packed up the car and brought cupcakes, and marshmallow peeps to celebrate outside her mothers window.

Sharon Templeton sang 'Happy Birthday' while her granddaughter blew kisses through the window.

"I told her, I said, Mom, I will stand at your window for four hours a day, if that's what it does. You know what it takes to make you feel better,"  Templeton said.

"I don't want you to ever feel alone."

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

Templeton said her mom is feeling better but she's still worried.