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The Texas Health and Human Service Commission announced on Thursday (August 6th) new rules for "limited visitation" in Texas nursing homes and long-term care facilities.

Before Thursday's announcement, Texans could not visit family members inside nursing homes or long-term care facilities.

While the new rules allow visitation, there are still some restrictions in place. The main restriction is when it comes to physical contact. According to the commission, physical contact of any kind is still prohibited between visitors and residents.

According to a press release from the group, before any visitors are allowed at nursing homes, there must be no confirmed cases of COVID-19 among staff members for 14 days and no active cases among residents.

From the Texas Health and Human Service Commission:

Nursing Facilities

For the health and safety of facility residents and staff, public visitation is limited to outdoor visits only. Physical contact between residents and visitors is not permitted. Additional conditions a facility must meet to conduct limited outdoor visitation include:

  • No confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in staff in the last 14 days.
  • No active positive cases in residents.
  • Any facility previously experiencing an outbreak that has fully recovered must be adequately staffed and following adequate infection control procedures.
  • Facility staff are being tested for COVID-19 weekly.

Further guidance on limited nursing facility visitation rules, which include window visits and vehicle parades, will be posted on the HHSC COVID-19 provider web page.

 

Long-Term Care Facilities (except Nursing Facilities)

Limited indoor and outdoor visitation procedures are allowed. Physical contact between residents and visitors is not permitted. Additional conditions a facility must meet to conduct limited visitation include:

  • No confirmed COVID-19 positive staff in last 14 days.
  • No active positive cases in residents.
  • Adequate staffing to facilitate visitation in compliance with infection control requirements.
  • Use of plexiglass as a safety barrier for indoor visitation to prevent spread of COVID-19.

Further guidance on limited indoor and outdoor visitation rules will be posted on the HHSC COVID-19 provider web page.

Those wanting more information on the new rules can visit the HHSC website.

 

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