Gov. Carney requiring stricter measures in long-term care facilities during COVID-19 pandemic

WILMINGTON, Del. – On Wednesday, Governor John Carney issued the 11th modification to his State of Emergency, requiring stricter guidelines to prevent coronavirus infections in nursing facilities and other long-term care facilities.

This updated emergency order requires nursing facilities to immediately ensure they are in full compliance with the Public Health Authority guidance. All nursing facilities in Delaware are required to immediately do the following:

• Establish a cohort of staff who are assigned to care for known or suspected COVID-19 residents
• Designate a room, unit, or floor of the nursing facility as a separate observation area where newly-admitted and re-admitted residents are kept for 14 days on, while being observed every shift for signs and symptoms of COVID-19
• Designate a room, unit, or floor of the nursing facility to care for residents with known or suspected COVID-19

Residents who have been admitted or seen at a hospital for COVID-19 shall be allowed to return to the nursing facility as long as the facility follows approved measures from the Division of Public Health and CDC. If nursing facility residents must temporarily go to other facilities, every effort must be made to transfer the residents back to their original facility as soon as possible.

In addition, Governor Bacon Health Center will serve as a non-acute alternate care site for patients who are discharged from the hospital, have some Activities of Daily Living needs, and are unable to return to their homes in the community or in a long-term care facility due to caregiver or staffing challenges.