Greetings!
This message contains information on:
- updated information on cohorting residents reflecting the latest CMS guidance;
- what to do when COVID-19 gets into your facility (assume it’s already there);
- the latest VDH guidance on testing (revised April 2);
- a video message for residents and staff from Sen. Tim Kaine;
- information on responding to the 2020 Census; and
- details from a CDC report on the experience of a Seattle ALF with COVID-19 cases.
We will continue to send updates as new information becomes available.
Sincerely,
April Payne, LNHA
Vice President of Quality Improvement | Director of VCAL
Virginia Health Care Association | Virginia Center for Assisted Living
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Updated: Cohorting Residents During COVID-19
All nursing homes and assisted living communities should make plans for cohorting residents now, even before COVID-19 enters the building per CMS guidance. Cohorting is imperative to help control the spread of the virus. If possible, nursing homes and assisted living communities should also begin preparing wings, units, or floors as “isolation units.” An isolation unit should be a separate, well-ventilated area, ideally with a separate entrance.
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Updated: When COVID-19 Gets into Your LTC Facility (Assume It's Already There)
AHCA/NCAL has updated this resource,
What to Do When COVID-19 Gets into Your LTC Facility
, as COVID-19 is rapidly spreading across the country and is increasingly impacting nursing homes and assisted living communities. Due to the rapid progression of this virus, centers should assume it is already in their surrounding community and may be in their facility. This resource outlines four action steps.
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VDH Updated Guidance on Testing for COVID-19
As was mentioned on our call yesterday, VDH issued revised testing guidance on April 2.
In the setting of limited availability of tests, testing performed at DCLS, Virginia’s state lab, is reserved for patients who meet VDH’s four priority investigation criteria. If you have a patient who meets VDH criteria, please request testing via the
online COVID-19 Testing Request Form
. If you are unable to submit your request online, please contact your
local health department
.
- Healthcare worker or first responder with fever OR signs/symptoms of a lower respiratory illness.
- Potential cluster of unknown respiratory illness, with priority for healthcare facility outbreaks. All suspected clusters or outbreaks should be reported to the local health department immediately.
- Person hospitalized with fever OR signs of lower respiratory illness. Priority will be given to patients where circumstances require a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis for compassionate use treatment with antivirals.
- Person who resides or works in a congregate setting (e.g., homeless shelter, assisted living facility, group home, prison, detention center, jail, or nursing home) AND who has fever or signs/symptoms of a lower respiratory illness.
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Sen. Tim Kaine’s Message to Residents and Staff
We have another great video for you. At our request Sen. Tim Kaine recorded a message for residents and staff. We encourage you to show it to your residents and staff and share it on your social media channels.
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COVID-19 Update on 2020 Census for
Health Care Group Quarters Administrators
The 2020 Census is underway, but due to concerns about accepting visitors to a skilled nursing facility, assisted living community, ICF/IID facility, or other group quarters, some adjustments to their approach are being made.
If you have elected to use the “In-Person” or the “Drop-Off/Pick-Up” method for reporting data on individuals in your building, the Census Bureau will be reaching out to ask you to select either the “eResponse” or the “Paper Response Data Collection” options. These would entail the following:
- Electronic Response Data Transfer (eResponse) – The group quarters administrator fills in a template with group quarters data and respondent level data for each person who is staying at the facility on Census Day (April 1, 2020). The group quarters administrators electronically send the census response data to the Census Bureau. Please note: the eResponse option is not available for service-based administrators.
- Paper Response Data Collection – A census worker meets with the administrator of the facility to obtain a paper listing of census response data for each person who is served or staying at the facility on April 1, 2020.
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CDC Issues Report on Assisted Living
COVID-19 Experience in Seattle
CMS released a
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
on April 3 on an assisted living and independent living community in Seattle related to the COVID-19 outbreak. The report found that early intervention, increased social distancing among residents, and less contact with health care providers were possibly effective at minimizing the spread of the virus in an assisted living setting.
More specifically:
- Residents were isolated in their rooms with no communal meals or activities.
- No visitors were allowed in the facility.
- Staff members were screened and symptomatic staff members were excluded from entering.
- Enhanced hygiene practices were put into effect, including cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces and additional hand hygiene stations in hallways for workers to use.
Among the 142 residents and staff members tested during the initial phase, three of 80 residents (3.8 percent) and two of 62 staff members (3.2 percent) had positive test results.
The report also found that symptom screening is unlikely to be sufficient to identify all persons infected. Three of four residents who had positive test results were asymptomatic.
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