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Oklahoma issues new guidelines for visitation at long term care facilities

TULSA — Tuesday, the state announced new guidelines for Oklahomans wishing to visit loved ones in nursing homes and similar facilities.

Governor Kevin Stitt and Oklahoma State Health Commissioner Dr. Lance Frye said the state has made significant progress in both vaccination against and treatment of COVID-19, and the time has come to provide specific guidance on relaxing some restrictions.

The hard decision to limit such visitations early in the pandemic saved lives, the governor said, but at a cost.

“Isolation and depression are very real threats for Oklahomans who have been separated from their loved ones in these facilities for almost a year now,” the governor noted.

The new guidelines (see below) include rules on masking, and require visitors to receive training in being an essential caregiver prior to scheduling a visit.

That training consists of watching a video, and should take only about 15 minutes.

Dr. Frye said Oklahomans need to know that the old way of doing things has not returned, and likely never will.

“This is the start of our working with providers, industry, and Oklahomans in general in helping establish what our new normal will look like,” Frye said.

The new guidelines are not mandated by the state, but facilities are encouraged to adopt them as soon as is practical.

State officials said none of the rules conflict with federal guidelines under which some 400 such facilities in Oklahoma operate.

NEW GUIDELINES FROM THE STATE:

Visitors who complete the training will still need to follow a number of guidelines in order to safely visit their loved ones:

If both the resident and visitor are vaccinated:

A mask is required and proof of vaccination completion must be provided for both to have non-supervised contact.

If either the resident or visitor is not vaccinated:

A mask is required and proof of a negative COVID-19 test or onsite test may be required for both to have non-supervised contact.

If neither the resident nor visitor are vaccinated:

A mask is required and proof of a negative COVID-19 test or onsite test may be required for both to have a supervised, no-contact visit.

Facilities must also continue to follow other procedures to prevent infection from COVID-19. In addition to this new state guidance, OSDH is also providing long term care facilities with the necessary PPE to keep both residents and visitors safe and access to rapid COVID-19 tests to give a holistic approach to prevention.


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