Nursing homes urged to restrict family visits amid coronavirus concerns, officials say
Health officials are urging nursing homes to restrict their visitors amid concerns over coronavirus.
The American Health Care Association, which represents more than 13,500 facilities and care providers across the country, said in an update Tuesday that it, along with the National Center for Assisted Living, recommends all nursing homes implement visitor restrictions amid concerns over COVID-19.
Visits should be limited to only those considered “essential,” the notice said.
Family members are among those who “should not be visiting,” Dr. David Gifford, chief medical officer of the AHCA, told The New York Times. Facilities are encouraged to find other ways for families to stay in touch, the notice says.
Additionally, nursing homes are urged to screen everyone who comes into their facilities.
“Our priority right now is to prevent the virus from getting into long term care centers and if it does get in, to prevent it from spreading,” Mark Parkinson, CEO of the AHCA, said in a statement to The Hill. “We believe providers must take dramatic action to limit individuals from entering our buildings and to ensure that employees who are sick stay home.”
Older adults and those with some medical conditions are at a higher risk of getting very sick if infected with coronavirus, health officials have said, making nursing homes especially vulnerable.
A nursing home in Washington saw an outbreak of the virus that was responsible for the deaths of several residents.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released guidelines on the precautions older adults should take to protect themselves, McClatchy News reported.
These include staying home in the case of an outbreak and stocking up on medications and supplies.
