COVID-19 UPDATE #263

September 28, 2022

AHCA is hosting a members-only webinar on Friday, September 30, at 9 AM PT. Senior members of the AHCA Quality & Regulatory team will review recent updates to COVID-19 guidance for nursing homes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

While this webinar is focused primarily on nursing homes, there are likely applicable topics pertaining to assisted living facilities as well.



The webinar will be recorded and available to access after the live event. To register, click here.

CMS has revised the CMS 20054 Infection Prevention, Control & Immunization Critical Element Pathway to comport with the revised recommendations and changes QSO-20-38-NH-Revised (testing) and QSO-20-39-NH-Revised (visitation). The revised pathway can be found in the Survey Resource folder on CMS' nursing home webpage.

CMS released revised QSO memos QSO-20-38-NH (Testing) and QSO-20-29-NH (Visitation). Revisions in the testing memo include information on routine testing of asymptomatic staff and updated recommendations for testing individuals who have recovered from COVID-19. Revisions in the visitation memo include updated guidance for face coverings and masks during visits and the removal of vaccination status as a consideration. These revisions align with the updated CDC guidance​ that was also released on the same date.  Read more here.

Washington State COVID Response Plans here and here remain in place until the end of October. DOH and DSHS are currently reviewing these CMS documents and CDC guidance. WHCA will share additional information from our state agencies when received. 

CMS Physicians, Nurses & Allied Health Professionals Open Door Forum will be held 

Wednesday, September 28, at 11 AM PT.  

To participate by phone, dial 1-888-455-1397 and enter Conference Passcode: 5109694.

The call will cover:

• Update on Independent Dispute Resolution under the No Surprises Act
• Make Your Voice Heard Request for Information on Promoting Efficiency, Reducing Burden, and Advancing Equity within CMS Programs

Persons participating by phone do not need to RSVP.  For instant replay, dial 1-888-566-0418.  No passcode is needed.  Instant reply is available one hour after the call has ended, but will expire on September 30, 2022, at 8:59 PM PT.

In a recent article, Argentum shared that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have updated the Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. An excerpt is listed below.

Assisted Living, Group Homes and Other Residential Care Settings (excluding nursing homes).

In general, long-term care settings (excluding nursing homes) whose staff provide non-skilled personal care* similar to that provided by family members in the home (e.g., many assisted livings, group homes), should follow community prevention strategies based on COVID-19 Community Levels, similar to independent living, retirement communities or other non-healthcare congregate settings. Residents should also be counseled about strategies to protect themselves and others, including recommendations for source control if they are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe disease. CDC has information and resources for older adults and for people with disabilities.

Visiting or shared healthcare personnel who enter the setting to provide healthcare to one or more residents (e.g., physical therapy, wound care, intravenous injections, or catheter care provided by home health agency nurses) should follow the healthcare IPC recommendations in this guidance. In addition, if staff in a residential care setting are providing in-person services for a resident with SARS-CoV-2 infection, they should be familiar with recommended IPC practices to protect themselves and others from potential exposures including the hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, and cleaning and disinfection practices outlined in this guidance.

*Non-skilled personal care consists of any non-medical care that can reasonably and safely be provided by non-licensed caregivers, such as help with daily activities like bathing and dressing; it may also include the kind of health-related care that most people do themselves, like taking oral medications. In some cases where care is received at home or a residential setting, care can also include help with household duties such as cooking and laundry.

Washington assisted living providers should continue following our state plans until the end of October. WHCA will continue working closely with DOH and DSHS.

DOH announces newly available surveys regarding the Long-term Care Guidance videos that can be accessed through the DOH Special Projects webpage, or directly through the YouTube links Guidance for Long-term Care Visitation and Long-term Care Isolation Precautions. These videos are a great resource for long term care facilities in communicating visitation guidance and proper PPE use.

DOH now has two surveys offered, one to gather feedback about these videos from visitors to long term care facilities and the other to gather feedback from healthcare workers. DOH is hoping to receive as much response as possible in hopes of using the information to guide future projects. The visitor survey link is now located on the DOH Special Projects webpage and in the information section of the YouTube videos. The staff survey link will need to be distributed via email to ensure it is long term care healthcare workers who receive the survey. DOH is requesting your help in dispersing the staff survey. Please forward this staff survey link to your facilities and share it with your staff.

For more information, contact Jamie Ford, MA, BS, LPN, COVID-19 Outreach Partnership Coordinator, HAIAR Special Projects Unit, Disease Control and Health Statistics Division,

Washington State Department of Health.