The South Dakota Health Care Association (SDHCA) is welcoming new guidance released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) loosening visitation restrictions in long term care settings. The new guidance acknowledges the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine in making safe visitation possible.
“The easing of visitation restrictions is very welcome news. Nearly all long term care residents in South Dakota have gotten their vaccine, and long term care providers have been eager to open their doors to safe visitation,” said Mark B. Deak, Executive Director of the South Dakota Health Care Association. “While we are not yet ‘back to normal,’ this is a good step in the right direction.”
The guidance makes it clear that responsible indoor visitation is allowable in the large majority of circumstances, as well as expanding the use of “compassionate care” visits for residents with a number of conditions.
The guidance still requires visitors to adhere to the Core Principles of COVID-19 Infection Prevention, including use of face coverings and social distancing. Additionally, restrictions are still in place for the following:
- Unvaccinated residents, 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,
- Residents with confirmed COVID-19 infection, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, until they have met the criteria to discontinue transmission-based precautions, or
- Residents in quarantine, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, until they have met criteria for release from quarantine
“The impact of COVID on our long term care residents and caregivers cannot be overstated. Despite window visits, outdoor visits, and virtual visits, many residents could not safely see loved ones in person. It is a great relief to know we have reached a point where these necessary but incredibly challenging safety measures can be relaxed,” continued Deak.
SDHCA will work with the South Dakota Department of Health to see the new guidance implemented in our state, as well as to support the continued availability of the vaccine to any unvaccinated long term care resident or staff member, and the continued vaccination of as many of our fellow South Dakotans as possible.
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