Staff, caregivers and visitors entering a long-term care home must still wear a mask, however once the individual is inside a resident’s room, it no longer becomes mandatory.
“Recognizing that long-term care residents miss seeing the faces of their loved ones, the ministry recommends caregivers and visitors to wear masks when they are alone with a resident in their room,”“For residents living in shared rooms, homes should seek to designate a space that enables residents to interact with their visitors without masks.”
When visitors are not in a resident’s room or in a "designated space," they must keep their masks on. Visitors and caregivers will also no longer have to take part in “active” COVID-19 screening in which they attest either in-person or online that they are symptom-free and have not been in direct contact with someone who has been ill.According to the ministry’s guidance, long-term care homes can “return to regular practice for setting their own visitor policy,” meaning that the four-visitor maximum indoors has been removed.
Residents returning from medical, temporary or short-term day absences will also no longer be required to test for COVID-19 unless they fail an active screening or are experiencing symptoms.
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