Wednesday COVID Update: Nursing Home/Long-term Care Visits Resume July 1st

Thanks to Ken Yang for this report:

Here are some Key Notes, Statistics, and Video for Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson’s news update on the COVID-19 pandemic, along with updates and guidance from Dr. Nate Smith, Secretary of Health.

The Governor began with some charts to show progress of the virus in the state.

: New cases

: 7-day

: Positive Tests

Governor Hutchinson and Secretary Smith made an announcement regarding long-term care facilities today. The requirements for facilities to expand visitation, activities, and communal dining are as follows:

Facilities will be eligible for visits starting July 1 (assisted living, nursing homes, and residential care facilities withing DHS).
This will only apply to facilities that have completed testing and meet the criteria outlined in the guidance from ADH.
Some homes may fall behind this initial date, but many will be ready to start then, and into the holiday weekend.
Outdoor visits are preferred, but indoor visits will allowed for those residents who cannot be safely moved outside when the weather is too hot.
Facilities will spend the coming weeks modifying both indoor and outdoor space that will be used for this purpose and putting scheduling systems in place.
End of life visits for families will continue.
Visits will be scheduled in advance and space will be sanitized between each visit.
Maximum of 2 visitors per resident, mask to be worn.
Guidance also includes expanding activities, beauty salons for residents, and communal dining.
If cases are present, facilities will work with ADH and will have to close again before reopening again for families to visit.

Dr. Smith listed the current statistics for COVID-19 patients below:

13,606 total cases

415 new cases