The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has updated the coronavirus guidelines for nursing homes allowing vaccinated residents to get hugs again. The agency also said that facilities can start to allow in-person residents, even for those who have not been vaccinated.
CMS said that outdoor visits are "preferred even when the resident and visitor are fully vaccinated" because of the reduced risk of transmission compared to indoor visits.
Residents and their guests will still be expected to wear a mask during the visit, and CMS said that facilities should do their best to limit people's movement and continue to follow social distancing guidelines.
Officials said that visits should be limited if the coronavirus positivity rate in the county is greater than 10% or if less than 70% of the facility's residents are fully vaccinated.
"We acknowledge the toll that separation and isolation has taken. We also acknowledge that there is no substitute for physical contact, such as the warm embrace between a resident and their loved one," CMS wrote. "Therefore, if the resident is fully vaccinated, they can choose to have close contact (including touch) with their visitor while wearing a well-fitting face mask and performing hand-hygiene before and after."
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