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Long-Term Care Facilities

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Visitation

Individuals are encouraged to visit loved ones in nursing homes or adult care facilities. 

New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) is fully aligned with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Nursing Home Visitation - COVID-19 (REVISED) regarding nursing home COVID-19 screening and visitor testing. Specifically, nursing homes are no longer required to verify that visitors have a negative COVID-19 test before entry or conduct active COVID-19 screening.

The Department recommends that facilities continue to conduct passive screening, including instructional signage throughout the facility and proper visitor education on COVID-19 signs and symptoms, infection control precautions, and other applicable facility practices (e.g., use of face covering or mask; specified entries, exits and routes to designated areas; and hand hygiene). 

Facilities that choose to continue visitor testing and/or active screening may do so at their discretion. Active screening refers to requiring anyone entering the facility to complete a symptom screening questionnaire or an in-person interview and/or have their temperature taken before being allowed entry into the facility.

NURSING HOME VISITATION GUIDANCE

Vaccinations

Nursing homes and adult care facilities must facilitate vaccinations for all residents. All new nursing home residents and residents readmitted to the facility must have an opportunity to receive the first or any required next dose of the COVID-19 vaccine within 14 days of having been admitted or readmitted to such facility, as applicable. For all adult care facility residents, within seven days of admission or readmission, the facility shall make diligent efforts to schedule all consenting and eligible new or readmitted residents for the COVID-19 vaccination.

Long-term care facilities are expected to adhere to the infection prevention and control standards, quarantine requirements, and testing standards set forth by CMS and CDC.

Guidance

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    Use of Face Masks and Face Coverings in Healthcare Facilities

    February 10, 2023 - Guidance for use of face masks and face coverings in healthcare settings including hospitals, nursing homes, home healthcare and hospice agencies, diagnostic and treatment centers, physician offices, dental offices, local health departments, and office-based surgery practices
     

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    DAL NH 22-13 COVID-19 Vaccination and Booster Doses

    April 5, 2022 - Alerting nursing home providers that the NYSDOH has identified an increase in COVID-19 cases among nursing home residents and staff and the need to remain vigilant with maintaining infection prevention and control measures is critical to ensuring the highest level of health and safety. 
     

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    Nursing Home Testing Requirements: DAL 21-23

    Updated October 27, 2021 - The purpose of this Dear Administrator Letter (DAL) is to confirm that nursing homes licensed in NYS should follow the requirements for routine testing of nursing home personnel as well as testing of symptomatic or exposed staff and residents.
     

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    Notification: Hospital Executive Officer and Nursing Home Administrators

    July 2, 2021 - Executive Order 202.30, as modified, which required Article 28 general hospitals to obtain a negative COVID-19 test result prior to discharge to a nursing home, as well as Dear Administrator Letters ACF #20-14 and NH #20-07, dated May 11, 2020, which extended this requirement to test patients prior to discharge to an adult care facility, have now expired.
     

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    Salon Services in Adult Care Facilities

    Adult Care Facilities (ACFs) and Nursing Homes (NH) may resume in-house salon services, provided that the facility is able to adhere to all local, state, and federal requirements as applicable, relative to hair salons and barbershops.
     

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