Active Screening Not Required for Nursing Home Staff
The Department of Health (DOH) clarified in an email to LeadingAge NY staff on March 27th that active screening at entry for COVID-19 infections, symptoms, and exposures is no longer required for nursing home staff. Passive screening is acceptable for both staff and visitors. Facilities that wish to continue active staff screening are free to do so.
Guidance released by the Department on March 17th eliminated testing and active screening at entry for nursing home visitors, but did not provide clear guidance regarding screening of staff. The March 27th email provided the necessary clarification.
Passive screening, under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, includes the implementation of "a process to make everyone entering the facility aware of recommended actions to prevent transmission to others if they have any of the following three criteria:
- a positive viral test for SARS-CoV-2
- symptoms of COVID-19, or
- close contact with someone with SARS-CoV-2 infection (for patients and visitors) or a higher-risk exposure (for healthcare personnel (HCP))."
For example, the CDC guidance directs facilities to "[i]nstruct HCP to report any of the 3 above criteria to occupational health or another point of contact designated by the facility so these HCP can be properly managed."
The definition of higher-risk exposure and recommendations for evaluation and work restriction of these HCP can be found in the CDC's Interim Guidance for Managing Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2.
Passive screening also entails providing guidance (e.g., posted signs at entrances) about recommended actions for patients and visitors who have any of the above three criteria.
Contact: Karen Lipson, klipson@leadingageny.org