Des Moines, Iowa — There’s good news for those who have family in Iowa nursing homes. Restrictions are again being relaxed.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued updated guidance for nursing homes to safely expand visitation options during the COVID-19 pandemic public health emergency.
Due to many nursing home residents and staff being vaccinated for COVID-19, some new policies have been implemented.
According to the updated guidance, facilities should allow responsible indoor visitation at all times and for all residents, regardless of the vaccination status of the resident or visitor, unless certain scenarios arise that would limit visitation for unvaccinated residents. One of these is if the COVID-19 county positivity rate is greater than 10 percent and less than 70 percent of residents in the facility are fully vaccinated. Another scenario that would limit visitation is if residents have a confirmed COVID-19 infection, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated — until they have met the criteria to discontinue transmission-based precautions. Also, if residents are in quarantine, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, that would cause limited visitation until they have met the criteria for release from quarantine.
Kelly Garcia, Director of the Department of Human Services and Department of Public Health interim director says that spending time with loved ones and seeing them in person is critical to overall well-being. She says this past year has been incredibly challenging and hard on older Iowans and their loved ones. She says it’s great news and one more step closer to normal.
The updated guidance also emphasizes that “compassionate care” visits should be allowed at all times, regardless of a resident’s vaccination status, the county’s COVID-19 positivity rate, or an outbreak. Compassionate care visits include visits for a resident whose health has sharply declined or is experiencing a significant change in circumstances.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services continue to recommend facilities, residents, and families adhere to the core principles of COVID-19 infection control, including maintaining physical distancing and conducting visits outdoors whenever possible. They tell us this continues to be the safest way to prevent the spread of COVID-19, particularly if either party has not been fully vaccinated.
