Gov. Brown: No visitors allowed at group care homes amid COVID-19 outbreak
(Update: Adding Oregon DHS news release)
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Oregon will no longer allow visitors at nursing homes and other group care facilities in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus among people most at risk from the disease, Gov. Kate Brown announced Tuesday.
People will still be allowed to visit their loved ones who are near the end of life, the governor said, according to The Oregonian/OregonLive.
Brown said that only essential medical and emergency personnel can visit residents of long-term care facilities statewide, except for residents who are in the end stages of life.
“We all know that older adults and people with underlying health conditions are among the most vulnerable to this disease,” Brown told reporters in a conference call, The Associated Press reported.
Brown said Tuesday she is pulling together an economic advisory council to assess the impact on Oregon’s economy and suggest ways to bolster it.
“As we together work through this new reality of social distancing, I recognize that Oregon’s businesses are at the forefront, and in the initial stages of an economic slow-down,” she said Tuesday. “This will only increase with time.”
She also said 150 of the state’s 197 school districts are providing students with free and reduced-price lunch despite school closures statewide.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover from the new virus.
Oregon has 47 confirmed cases as of late Monday. One person has died. Officials late Monday announced four more cases at a Lebanon veterans’ home that would be added to the state’s total number of cases on Tuesday. The home has 13 residents and a staff member who have tested positive.
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News release from Oregon DHS:
ALL VISITS TO CARE FACILITIES RESTRICTED FOR COVID-19 PREVENTION
(Salem, Ore.) -- The Oregon Department of Human Services increased restrictions on visitation policies for all licensed long-term care facilities as well as residential group homes to further prevent the spread of COVID-19.
DHS is taking this action in consultation with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) at the request of Governor Brown. OHA and DHS have determined that, given the increase in COVID-19 cases, these additional restrictions are essential to protect those at greater risk of the most severe outcomes of this disease.
The updated restrictions limit all visitors except essential medical and emergency personnel and visitors to residents who are in the end of life.
“To effectively stop the spread of this disease, we must take every action possible to slow the rates of infection, especially to individuals for whom COVID-19 is life threatening,” said OHA director Patrick Allen.
The new all-visitor restrictions apply to:
- Nursing facilities;
- Assisting living facilities;
- Residential care facilities;
- Adult foster homes; and,
- Group homes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
"We know that these restrictions are a hardship for residents of care facilities as well as their families and friends, but they are essential to mitigate the spread of disease,” said DHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht. “We encourage facilities to use technology to help residents maintain connections with their families and loved ones.”
The restrictions on all visitors are effective immediately; they follow a March 10, 2020, policy that limited visitation for long-term care facilities.
OHA continues to recommend that older adults and people with underlying conditions take the following steps to stay safe and healthy:
- Minimize contact with people who may be ill.
- Avoid community gatherings.
- Order prescriptions by mail.
- Take daily precautions: wash your hands frequently, don’t touch anywhere on your face, and clean surfaces.
Links to updated visitation policies:
Developmental Disabilities Services
http://www.dhs.state.or.us/policy/spd/transmit/pt/2020/pt20028.pdf
Aging and People with Disabilities Long-Term Care
For more information:
