The Illinois Department of Public Health has issued directives for people to visit loved ones in long term care facilities and nursing homes on Friday. Facilities may allow limited outdoor visitation for residents when certain conditions are met.
Visitations must be limited to two visitors at a time per resident. The maximum number of residents and visitors in the outdoors space at one time is predicated on the size of the outdoor space. The facility must ensure that a minimum distancing of six feet is achievable in the outdoor space when determining the maximum number of residents and visitors who can simultaneously occupy that outdoor space. The facility must clearly communicate and enforce social distancing of six feet between the resident and all visitors. The facility must set the maximum number of visitors allowed in a single day.
Visitors must schedule an appointment with the facility to visit a resident. The facility must pre-screen visitors via phone with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention symptom checklist not more than 24 hours in advance. The facility must also screen visitors on arrival with the CDC symptom checklist and a temperature check. Residents with active COVID-19 infection, either laboratory confirmed or symptomatic, are not allowed to participate in outdoor visits. Residents receiving visitors should also be screened with the CDC symptom checklist prior to visitor’s arrival. Visitors displaying symptoms should not visit the facility. Visits should be in the outdoor designated area only, but they may occur under a canopy or tent without walls. Outdoor spaces must have separate ingress and egress which does not require the visitor to enter the facility building.
For the duration of each visit, the resident and visitor must wear a face covering. The facility may set the time duration of each visit. The facility should have staff supervision during each visit to ensure the use of face coverings and social distancing. The facility may determine whether supervision is continuous or intermittent.