FLORIDA — A state task force met in August to discuss possible scenarios for opening nursing homes to visitors. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the state have been on lockdown since mid-March.
The task force offered the following suggestions: Allowing facilities in areas with relatively low levels of coronavirus and that have not had an infection in the past 28 days to consider opening to visitors; requiring that visitors undergo symptom screening, wear masks and practice hand washing; allowing outside visits in special designated visitation rooms or, if necessary, in the individual quarters of room-bound residents; and first allowing visits from family members and loved ones who provide care.
While a date had not been set yet for facilities to open to visitors, state officials said that they felt a sense of urgency to do it soon.
From the September 2020 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
