Governor Bill Lee released guidance yesterday on allowing long-term care facilities in the state to provide limited visitation options while ensuring the safety of their residents from COVID-19.

The guidelines will allow new forms of visitation start June 15, 2020. It includes:

Facilities that opt-in to reopening to visitors are required to meet four prerequisites:

• Testing of all staff and residents at least once, and compliance with applicable regulations regarding weekly staff re-testing;
• No new COVID-19 case in residents or staff members in the previous 28 days;
• Compliant with Board for Licensing Health Care Facilities regulations and infection control guidelines;
• Overall stability of the disease burden present in the community where the facility is located.

Once these facilities meet the prerequisites and allow limited visitation, must follow guidelines:

• Making appointments prior to visiting and limiting the duration of visits;
• Limiting the number of visitors per resident and daily visitors per facility;
• Enforcing visitor social distancing and mask requirements; and,
• Screening all visitors with symptom and temperature checks immediately upon facility entry.

Three options for these facilities to allow limited resident visitation:

• In an outdoor setting, weather permitting;
• Using a visitation booth or protective barrier; and,
• A resident’s room if the visitor documents a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours prior to the visit.