State releases guidance for indoor visits of Colorado nursing homes

DENVER (KRDO) -- The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment released new guidelines Thursday for indoor visits of residential care facilities.

Nursing homes must first meet the following criteria to allow indoor visits:

• Be located in counties that have less than or equal to an average of 25 new, active cases per 100,000 people over the prior 14 days or be in a county that is in the Protect Our Neighbors Phase. 
• If in counties with 26 to 175 new, active cases per 100,000 people over the prior 14 days, visitors must provide documentation that they have had a negative COVID-19 test in the 48 hours preceding the visit (a PCR test or test approved by the State Lab or the FDA for use in asymptomatic people).
• Visitation is not allowed in residential care facilities in counties with more than 175 new, active cases per 100,000 people over the prior 14 days.
• Other criteria involve testing, outbreaks, personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies, and staffing.

If indoor visits are allowed, visitors are required to:

• Have taken a COVID-19 test and received a negative result within 48 hours of conducting the visit, if applicable, based on the degree of community spread.
• Be fever-free, symptom free, and have no known exposure to COVID-19.
• Be age 18 and older.
• Schedule appointments in advance.
• Wear masks and adhere to all facility visitation rules.

The new guidelines also allows visits from service providers like beauticians, barbers, podiatrists, dentists and therapists.

Dr. Eric France, the Chief Medical Officer for CDPHE, says the guidance was drafted with the input from residents, families, friends and essential workers inside care facilities.

"We need to continue to be cautious as these facilities are still high risk," France said. "We must balance the need for visitations with the risks that still very much exist."

To read the full guidelines, click here.