COVID-19 Testing Rules Changed for ACFs and Nursing Homes 

Situation Report | July 6, 2021

On June 30, the state Department of Health (DOH) issued new guidelines regarding COVID-19 testing requirements for staff and contracting staff, including home care and hospice personnel, who provide services in adult care facilities (ACFs) and nursing homes.

The ACF guidance, posted on the Health Commerce System, states:

Effective immediately, operators and administrators of adult care facilities (ACFs) are no longer required to test or arrange for the routine testing for COVID-19 of personnel, including employees, contract staff, medical staff, operators and administrators, irrespective of the individual personnel’s vaccination status.

ACFs should continue to screen all staff (each shift), each resident (daily), and all persons entering the ACF, including vendors, volunteers, and visitors, for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Unvaccinated individuals should be encouraged to wear a facemask or face covering. Whenever a potential outbreak is identified, an ACF must contact its local health department to ensure implementation of appropriate infection control recommendations.

The nursing home guidance states:

Effective immediately, operators and administrators of all nursing homes are required to test or arrange for the routine testing for COVID-19 of all personnel who have not been fully vaccinated, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including employees, contract staff, medical staff, operators and administrators, for COVID-19 once per month consistent with county positivity rates and the updated April 27, 2021 CMS guidance (QSO 20- 38-NH) which stated “vaccinated staff do not need to be routinely tested.”