Allowance for outdoor visitation,
will be based on certain criteria.
And these include, the disease
transmission level within the facility,
availability of appropriate amounts
of personal protective equipment,
and staffing.
And, that testing is
occurring at the facility,
in accordance with the federal
CMS testing requirements.
There are three triggers that could
temporarily suspend visitation
out of facility.
One, if one or more cases are identified
in residents or staff members,
visitation must be temporarily suspended,
until the federal CMS protocols for
testing in response to disease
at the facility, are completed.
This could take a few days or
longer depending on whether
we identify more cases
in addition to the one.
Two, if three or more cases
are identified and staff members or
residents within a 14 day period,
visitation must be temporarily suspended,
and testing must occur
per federal CMS guidance.
Visitation may resume 14 days after
the identification of the last case,
pardon me case.
Three for a nursing home,
if testing is not occurring per federal
CMS requirements,
visitation must be temporarily suspended.
For assisted living facilities,
testing must be occurring per these
same CMS protocols within 30 days,
from when these guidelines are issued, or
visitation must be temporarily suspended.
Currently, there are 90 nursing homes
in the state that meet the criteria
of not having cases among residents or
staff within the previous 14 days.
Additionally, there are 31 nursing
homes that have only had one case in
the last 14 days, and would hopefully
soon meet this criteria as well.
In order to reduce the risk of virus being
unknowingly introduced into nursing homes,
or assisted living facilities,
the maximum length of time permitted for
an outdoor visit will be based on
the testing status of the visitor.
A visitor may be allowed to visit for
up to one hour,
if they present a medical
record documenting either,
a negative result from a viral test
performed within the previous five days.
And this would be a test from a nasal or
oral swab or a saliva test,
or a positive result from an antibody
test performed within the past 30 days.
A visitor who hasn't been tested or
doesn't present a medical record
documenting a negative test for
the PCR test or a positive test for
the antibody test, may be allowed to
visit for a maximum of 15 minutes.
All visitors regardless of test results,
must pass a COVID-19 screening
prior to their visit, and must adhere
to the rules in place for the visit,
such as social distancing, staying at
least six feet away from their loved one,
and wearing a mask properly at all times.
