We are very pleased to inform you that The New York State Department of Health has revised its guidelines regarding visitation and other related items:
Thank you in advance for your patience, support and understanding as we work through these guidelines and changes, there is a lot of information and it has changed quite a bit over the prior several weeks and months. We are working hard to communicate this evolving and new information as clearly as possible and clarify when/where needed.
Andrus on Hudson will resume visitation per these guidelines tentatively beginning Monday, March 29th-- as we are still awaiting final test result for all residents in order to resume visitation. If there are positive test results on the pending round, we will update you with additional information regarding visitation. Visitation cannot resume on the 4th floor until we can resume that visitation per existing guidelines.
Indoor Visitation During an Outbreak, excerpt(s) from NY State guidance:
An outbreak exists when a new nursing home onset of COVID-19 occurs (i.e., a new COVID-19 case among residents or staff). With the appropriate safeguards, visitation can still occur when there is an outbreak, but there is evidence that the transmission of COVID-19 is contained to a single area (e.g., unit) of the facility.
When a new case of COVID-19 among residents or staff is identified, Andrus on Hudson (AOH) will immediately begin outbreak testing and suspend all visitation (except that required under federal disability rights law), until at least one round of facility-wide testing is completed. Visitation can resume based on the following criteria:
•If the first round of outbreak testing reveals no additional COVID-19 cases in other areas (e.g., units) of the facility, then visitation can resume for residents in areas/units with no COVID-19 cases. However, AOH will suspend visitation on the affected unit until the facility meets the criteria to discontinue outbreak testing.
•For example, if the first round of outbreak testing reveals two more COVID-19 cases in the same unit as the original case, but not in other units, visitation can resume for residents in areas/units with no COVID-19 cases.
•If the first round of outbreak testing reveals one or more additional COVID-19 cases in other areas/units of the facility (e.g., new cases in two or more units), then AOH will suspend visitation for all residents (vaccinated and unvaccinated), until the facility meets the criteria to discontinue outbreak testing.
Other important points:
Please continue to use the same scheduling application and processes as we are continuing scheduling protocols and other processes outlined in prior posts/communications.
Per NYS Guidelines, AOH cannot require testing of visitors-- however, AOH will provide end encourages testing for visitors who request it (and/or encourages off-site testing prior to visiting)
Other visitation guidelines such as compassionate care visitation, will not change as a result of these new guidelines.
Residents who are on transmission-based precautions for COVID-19 should only receive visits that are virtual, through windows, or in-person for compassionate care situations, with adherence to transmission-based precautions. This restriction will be lifted once transmission- based precautions are no longer required per CDC guidelines and other visits may be conducted as described above.
Communal Dining and Activities (excerpt from new NYS guidelines):
Communal dining and activities may occur while adhering to the core principles of COVID-19 infection prevention. Residents may eat in the same room with social distancing (e.g., limited number of people at each table and with at least six feet between each person).
Additionally, group activities may also be facilitated (for residents who have fully recovered from COVID-19, and for those not in isolation for observation, or with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 status) with social distancing among residents, appropriate hand hygiene, and use of a face covering (except while eating).