CRITERIA FOR SAFE VISITATION DURING COVID PANDEMIC 

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1. The Facility is in Phase 3 region for COVID. 

2. The facility is in full compliance with all state and federal requirements, state Executive Orders and guidance, state reporting requirements including COVID-19 focus surveys, HERDS and staff testing surveys, and federally required submission of COVID-19 data to the NHSN. 

3. The facility has protocols to separate residents into cohorts of positive, negative, and unknown as well as separate staff teams to deal with COVID-positive residents and nonpositive residents.  

4. The facility has completed the NY Forward Safety Plan and submitted a copy of the complete plan to covidnursinghomeinfo@health.ny.gov. The facility must retain a copy of the plan at the facility where it is accessible and immediately available upon request of the Department or local health department.  

   • The plan must clearly articulate the space(s) to be used for visitation (outdoors and indoors) including the number of visitors and residents which could be safely socially distanced within the space  

5. The facility has not had any new onset of COVID-19 among staff or residents as reported to the Department on the HERDS and staff testing surveys and as reported to the NHSN for a period of no less than fourteen days, consistent with CMS FAQ’s.  

6. The facility will have written screening protocols for all staff during each shift, each resident daily, and all persons entering the facility or grounds of the facility, including visitors. Resident monitoring must include daily symptom checks, vital signs, and pulse oximetry.  

7. The facility will post a formal visitation plan to their public website and broadcast via email or social media to provide visitors with clear guidelines for visiting and to announce if and when visitation is paused due to an increase in the number of residents and/or staff with confirmed positive COVID-19 diagnosis.