The state Department of Public Health has relaxed its guidelines for visitation at long-term care facilities, with indoor visits allowed immediately ”“ as long as certain conditions are met.
The move follows a newly issued directive from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Connecticut Department of Public Health acting Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford has signed an order rescinding previously issued orders limiting visits at long-term care facilities, including nursing homes, that were issued to protect the health of nursing home residents in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I urge nursing homes to work closely with family members to arrange for the type of visitation that is most appropriate for each resident”™s physical, mental and psychosocial well-being,” Gifford said. “There will be protocols in place to make sure the visitation is as safe as possible, including personal protective equipment to limit the spread of Covid-19 among our most vulnerable population.”
Conditions for allowing indoor visits include the absence of new Covid cases in the last 14 days, and that the facility is not currently conducting outbreak testing. Indoor visits will be suspended if there is a positive Covid case among staff or residents.
In addition, facilities and visitors must adhere to the following:
- Screening for all who enter the facility;
- Hand hygiene recommendations;
- Personal protection equipment as applicable;
- Social distancing requirements;
- Instructional signs throughout the facility;
- Cleaning and disinfecting high frequency touched surfaces in the facility;
- Effective cohorting of residents as applicable;
- Visitors should be able to adhere to the core principles and staff should provide monitoring for those who may have difficulty adhering to core principles;
- Facilities should limit the number of visitors per patient at one time and limit the total number of visitors in the facility one at a time (based on the size of the building and physical space). Facilities should consider scheduling visits for a specified length of time to help ensure all patients are able to receive visitors; and
- Facilities should limit movement in the facility. For example, visitors should not walk around different halls of the facility. Rather, they should go directly to the patient”™s room or designated visitation area.
The new requirements also expand entry for health care workers and providers of other services whose access may have been previously restricted ”“ including social workers, clergy, hairdressers and volunteers ”“ as long as those individuals are not otherwise excluded from working due to an exposure to Covid-19 and comply with the core principles of infection control.
The Department of Public Health also urges all chronic disease hospitals in the state that are not covered in the CMS guidance to develop a visitation plan for patients that includes the same core principles as long-term care facilities to prevent the spread of the virus.
All in-person visits should be planned with the chronic disease hospital in collaboration with the patient”™s family or conservator with guidelines for infection control and safety as part of the chronic disease hospital”™s visitation policy.
