FW: NC DHHS Division of Public Health LTC Weekly Update Email – 04/08/2021
Sent on Behalf of the Division of Public Health
1. Updated LTCF Visitation & Quarantine Guidance
The Guidance for Visitation and Quarantine in Long Term Care Facilities has been updated to recommend that facilities conduct a risk assessment to consider whether quarantine for residents is needed following off-campus visits. Specific language is below:
  • Quarantine is not required for off-campus visits of short duration (e.g, less than 24 hours). However, facilities should consider quarantine for unvaccinated residents. Facilities should conduct a risk assessment taking into consideration the activity of the resident while visiting off-campus.

Elements to consider in this risk assessment include:
  • COVID transmission (e.g., county positivity rate) in the community that the resident will be visiting.
  • Individual and community (known or perceived) adherence to infection control recommendations (3 W’s).
  • There is generally less risk in visiting a single household than a medium or large event that involves more than one household (including but not limited to a group dinner, wedding, or graduation) .
  • Vaccination status of residents in the facility as well as close contacts to the resident outside of the facility.


2. Long Term Care Facility On-Going COVID-19 Vaccination
Third dose clinics are currently underway, and CVS and Walgreens have agreed to providing first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to any facility residents and staff members that have not yet had the opportunity to be vaccinated during the third clinics. The CVS/Walgreens partnership is limited to only three clinics so, facilities will have to find an alternate source for second doses for all facility residents and staff members vaccinated during the third clinics. Many long-term care pharmacies throughout the state have been enrolled as COVID-19 vaccine providers to ensure the availability of vaccination services to long-term care facilities once the federal program has ended.

If your facility currently works with a long-term care pharmacy, please contact them to coordinate any needed vaccination services your facility may require. If you do not have a pharmacy partner that can provide ongoing vaccinations, the contact information for long-term care pharmacies that are willing to assist with your facilities vaccination needs has been provided.
(LTC Pharmacy Contact List Below)
3. Antigen Tests Available for Long-Term Care Facilities  
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is provisioning rapid, point-of-care antigen testing supplies to support nursing home, assisted living and adult care facilities to quickly identify and respond to cases of COVID-19. NCDHHS currently has a supply of Abbott BinaxNOW Ag Cards, which any long-term care facility can request to support diagnostic or screening testing for staff, residents or visitors at their facilities. Depending on demand, NC DHHS anticipates being able to supply tests through at least the next 4 months. We will provide additional communication should this timeline change. Please also anticipate future communications regarding long-term testing needs for your facility.

Types of Testing: The below are approved use cases for antigen tests in long term care settings.

  • Symptomatic or close contact testing of residents or staff,
  • Serial screening testing of staff and/ or residents as recommended by the CDC.
  • Screening of visitors upon arrival to the facility,

Requirements: Facilities interested in receiving tests from the state must meet ALL of the following requirements:
 
Request process: All facilities that meet the above requirements may apply to apply to request tests via the request form linked here. Please only request tests to meet your needs from the next 4-6 weeks.

Our NCDHHS Antigen Team will review requests on a case-by-case basis. The point-of-contact provided in your request will be contacted within 3-5 business days on the status of your request. Please note that due to anticipated high volume of submissions, request responses may be delayed but be assured that our team is working diligently to process all requests!

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