The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services lifted most restrictions on visits to nursing homes Wednesday.
“Facilities should allow responsible indoor visitation at all times and for all residents, regardless of vaccination status of the resident, or visitor, unless certain scenarios arise that would limit visitation,” CMS said in its announcement.
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Visitation would be limited for unvaccinated residents of a facility if fewer than 70% of residents at that facility have been vaccinated and the COVID-19 positivity rate in the county is 10% or higher. Residents with confirmed COVID-19 infection or who are in quarantine would also be restricted from seeing visitors.
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Nursing homes and other long-term care facilities have been hit hard by the pandemic. An estimated 160,000 residents and staff have died from COVID-19. That accounts for nearly three in 10 deaths from the disease in the United States.
Yet, the vaccine campaign has been a success in long-term care facilities, with over 4.7 million residents and staff receiving at least one dose and 2.6 million receiving two. According to the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living, an industry group, COVID-19 cases in long-term care facilities have dropped 82% since vaccinations began in December.
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“While we are still reviewing the guidance, the indication that nursing home residents can visit with their loved ones is welcome news that we fully support,” said Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of AHCA/NCAL.
