With the rises in COVID cases across the metro area, staying connected with loved ones, especially those in nursing homes, has become very difficult. State Sen. Sue Serino is hoping to change that.

Serino tells News 12 she'll distribute 1,000 test kits the state gave her so family members can make visits to Dutchess County nursing homes.

Gov. Kathy Hochul just announced starting Wednesday, residents have to test negative within 24 hours before nursing home visits. That has a lot of people worried about how they would find a test. Hochul did also announced almost 100,000 tests are going directly to nursing homes to stop people’s fears about finding one.

Still, Serino says too often the state has treated people in nursing homes and their families as an afterthought, so she wants to make sure they have what they need.

"Isolation was so bad for their mental health and basically physical health as well – so I think it's so important if we can help in any way by providing those test kits, that's what I would like to do,” she said

Serino added the tests should arrive soon. Once they're here, she'll announce a plan for how to receive one.