The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its recommendations for preventing and controlling SARS-CoV-2 infections in nursing homes.
The changes consolidate and simplify existing guidance on protective equipment, testing and quarantine for fully vaccinated nursing home residents, the CDC said. Questions about the updates will be answered during a Project Firstline webinar for clinicians on Sept. 17 at 2:15 p.m., ET. The registration page can be found here.
The new guidance, posted on the agency’s website, covers the following:
- Alternative broad-based approaches to outbreak response at a facility-wide or unit level;
- Expanded screening test recommendations for healthcare personnel;
- Quarantine guidance for fully vaccinated residents;
- Visitation guidance; and
- Outbreak response guidance to promote use of a contact tracing approach.
Assisted living communities, meanwhile, should follow the same infection prevention and control procedures as retirement and independent living communities in most cases, CDC said. McKnight’s Senior Living has more details on how the updates affect the assisted living sector here.
The agency also has updated its guidance on preventing and controlling infections for healthcare personnel during the pandemic and on managing healthcare personnel with SARS-CoV-2 infection or exposure. The Project Firstline webinar is set to cover these changes as well.
