DOH Issues Updated COVID-19 Guidance for ACFs
On June 3rd, the Department of Health (DOH) issued an updated Adult Care Facility (ACF) COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Checklist, which was previously issued in April 2020. Members are reminded that the checklist is used as a reference in DOH Infection Control Surveys.
The checklist includes a few new items, including five new bullets at the start of the document under Preparedness, most of which are not necessarily COVID-19-related, but rather are organizational requirements for general DOH activities and oversight. The checklist also encourages social distancing and face mask wearing for residents regardless of vaccination status in common areas and when around other residents and staff. Several bullets under Visitors are also added, which reflect current practice and again promote mask wearing for visitors. Three bullets are also added at the end of the document under Caring for a resident with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 relating to collaboration with the local health department regarding quarantine and work exclusion for close contacts, facilitation of testing, and maintaining a line list for close contacts and positive residents. Other bullets in the document are modified slightly. Members are encouraged to review the document to ensure compliance.
DOH, on May 31st, also updated the isolation and quarantine guidance previously issued in March. The guidance appears to be updated by reflecting the updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance regarding the definition of “up to date” with vaccinations. Individuals who have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 must quarantine if not up to date with their vaccinations. The guidance also again reiterates that quarantine for ACF residents and staff is for 10 days. LeadingAge NY has urged DOH to adopt CDC guidance, which allows some ability to shorten quarantine under certain conditions with a testing protocol; however, the current requirement remains 10 days.
Contact: Diane Darbyshire, ddarbyshire@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8828