RALEIGH, N.C. — Health officials in North Carolina have changed the nursing home visitation guidelines to allow for indoor visits, according to a statement released Monday by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services issued a secretarial order on Monday that updated visitation guidelines for nursing homes to allow indoor visitation.
Health officials said this is due to North Carolina’s key COVID-19 metrics remaining stable.
“We have focused on protecting the health of nursing home residents since the start of this crisis. Our progress in testing, infection control and slowing the spread of COVID-19 in our communities allows us to move forward with safe indoor visitation in accordance with federal guidance,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D.
Health officials said in a news release that indoor visitation will only be allowed in nursing homes with no COVID-19 cases in the last 14 days and in counties with a percent positive testing rate of less than 10 percent, following guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
More headlines from CBS17.com:
- No. 11 Miami holds off Virginia 19-14, moves to 5-1
- Durham event makes room for more outdoor dining at downtown businesses
- Top Pence aide tests positive for coronavirus, vice president to go forward with Kinston trip, officials say
- NC officials shut down church as ‘imminent hazard’ citing link to 3 deaths among 121 COVID-19 cases
- Charlotte police dodge gunfire while trying to stop driver at break-in call
