Guy & Mary Felt Manor Update
As the months tick by, we continue to experience the social isolation caused by the visitor restriction. Our staff has done an amazing job keeping the residents entertained within a small group setting. In- room visits continue daily. Phone calls, zoom visits, as well as compassionate visits persist.
We have started receiving questions from residents and families about when visitor restrictions will be lifted. Particularly since many residents have received the vaccine against COVID-19.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS) continue to review COVID-19 data, along with the Centers for Disease control and prevention (CDC), but will not be revising visitation guidance at this time.
With this in mind, the current guidance does allow for indoor visitation if certain criteria are met. Outdoors visitations are weather permitting. However, the status of visitation depends in part upon the status of COVID-19 in the surrounding community. The latest update issued 2/16/21 listed Cameron County at 21.45% cumulative positivity rate.
Five facts about visitor restriction in the facility:
• The federal government issues nursing home visitation restrictions. CMS restricted visitation in March 2020. Restrictions were revised in September 2020 to allow some flexibility within strict parameters.
• Visitor restrictions apply to everyone. Those who are vaccinated, those who are considered “essential caregivers”, and those who have recovered from COVID-19 all must follow the same visitor restrictions.
• CMS prefers that visitations occur outdoors if possible.
• Indoor visitation is 100% impacted by how well the surrounding community manages COVID-19.
If the surrounding community shows a county positivity rate of 10% or greater, indoor visitation is restricted.
Five things you can do to help the Facility visitation resume:
• Wear a mask anytime you leave your house, even if you’re social distancing from others. Masks should cover the mouth and nose.
• Social distance and avoid crowds. Stay at least 6 feet away from anyone who does not live in your household. Avoid gatherings of people who do not live in your household. Stay connected by phone or online platforms.
• Stay home if you are sick. Even if you think it’s just a cold or just the flu, stay home. Don’t go to work, don’t go to your place of worship, and don’t even go to the grocery store. Call your doctor and get a COVID-19 test if the doctor recommends it.
• Get vaccinated when it’s your turn. As more people get vaccinated, fewer people get sick. That leads to fewer cases, fewer deaths, and less opportunity for the virus to mutate into other variants.
• Spread the word, not the virus. This virus is everyone’s problem and we all have a responsibility in the solution.
It will take all of us working together to put an end to this pandemic.
Kimberly Jones, NHA
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