Here’s how you’ll be able to visit loved ones in SC nursing homes under new guidelines
Some nursing homes soon will be able to allow visitors to their facilities again.
But visitations will be limited to the outdoors and to no more than two visitors at a time, and visits will be allowed only if several other conditions have been met.
S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster said Tuesday, in a press conference announcing the new policy, that “the time has come” to reunite loved ones with their family members.
“I worry about them, like you do every day,” he said. “It’s been frustrating for all those who are worried about a parent, grandparent or loved one’s well-being,” he said, noting the many conversations he’s had over the phone or face-to-face about the pain the separation has caused.
In the spring, McMaster ordered visitations to stop at nursing homes, except in end-of-life situations, in order to prevent spread of the novel coronavirus in congregate facilities with vulnerable populations, such as nursing homes. People with weakened immune systems are more likely to have poor outcomes from COVID-19.
Since April 3, 4,887 nursing home residents and 2,506 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. As of Aug. 27, 1,011 nursing home residents and 18 staff members have died from the virus.
As of Monday, more than 117,000 South Carolinians have tested positive and nearly 2,600 residents in the state have died from COVID-19.
The expansive guidelines include making sure the facility has adequate personal protective equipment, screening residents and staff for any COVID-19 symptoms, having testing protocols in place, and ensuring there are no positive cases among resident and staff for at least two weeks.
Currently 90 nursing homes out of the more than 190 long-term care facilities in the in the state meet those criteria. An additional 31 nursing homes have only had one COVID-19 case in the last 14 days, will hopefully meet the criteria soon, DHEC said.
The agency also urged people to check with individual nursing homes to see if they have met the DHEC guidelines and whether they will allow visitors.
DHEC also recommended the guidelines be used at facilities housing people with intellectual disabilities.
Director of Public Health Joan Duwve did not offer a timeline on when facilities would start allowing visitation as they will need time to meet criteria outlined in the guidelines. Facilities will have to report to DHEC their PPE situation as well as whether they are following testing protocols.
“Everyone wants this to happen, and we feel that the nursing home administration and staff are going to be forward facing with this information for us,” Duwve said.
Under the DHEC guidelines, if a resident or staff member tests positive, visitations will be suspended so testing of all staff and residents can be completed in the facility, which could take a few days, especially if more cases are identified.
If there are three or more positive cases, visitations must be suspended for two weeks.
Visits could be for up to an hour if the visitor has had a negative COVID-19 test performed within the last five days or a positive antibody test within the last 30 days. All other visits will be limited to 15 minutes. Visitors would be required to wear a mask, and keep at least six feet away from the loved one; as no physical contact would be allowed.
All visitors also must pass a COVID-19 screening, which includes a temperature check, at the facility.
“We’ve taken great strides in these guidelines to prevent the transmission,” said Marshall Taylor, the interim director of DHEC. “This is outdoor, it’s socially distancing. It’s wearing masks, it’s only allowed at facilities that do not have cases in them. The risk of some type of explosion due to this activity is relatively low.”
This story was originally published September 1, 2020 at 2:28 PM.
CORRECTION: This article has been updated to reflect that more than 117,000 South Carolinians have tested positive for COVID-19. A previous version of this article omitted that description.
