Schedule your Colorado Gives Day donation today.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment released new guidelines Thursday on indoor visits in residential care facilities.
The department outlines six criteria group homes and other facilities must meet in order to allow indoor visitation from family and friends of residents.
These criteria include at least one round of facility-wide COVID-19 testing, enough staffing and personal protective equipment to be able to respond to a potential outbreak, and guidance on monitoring community spread.
If facilities are in a county that has more than 25 new, active COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in a two-week period, those visiting have to show they've had a negative coronavirus test 48 hours before arriving.
Facilities in counties that have over 175 new, active cases per 100,000 people over the previous two weeks are not allowed indoor visitation.
The new guidelines are a change from previous guidelines that allowed indoor visits only when providing support for people with disabilities or in end-of-life situations, among other circumstances. Facilities could allow outdoor visits with COVID-19 symptom screening and social distancing precautions.
The new guidelines also permit hair stylists, dentists and occupational therapists to provide services to residents indoors.
The department still recommends outdoor visits if the resident is able, weather permitting.
You want to know what is really going on these days, especially in Colorado. We can help you keep up. The Lookout is a free, daily email newsletter with news and happenings from all over Colorado. Sign up here and we will see you in the morning!
It takes a good day’s drive to cover Colorado, but we’ll help you do it in a few minutes. Our newsletters bring you a closer look at the stories that affect you and the music that inspires you.
Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado. Listen now.