Outdoor Visitation Permitted at Long-Term Care Facilities

Another health order amendment will likely delight the state’s seniors.

The Wyoming Department of Health has issued updated guidance which allows long-term care facilities to permit in-person visitation – but only outdoors and under specific guidelines. Each facility must designate a specific outdoor space for visitation, limit the number of visitors to two persons at any given time, and all visitors must be screen for any respiratory illness symptoms before visitation. A facility staff member, trained in proper safety and infection control measures, will be present with the resident during the entire visit – and everyone will be wearing some kind of face covering.

These measures could be seen as excessive by some, but it’s the state doing everything in its power to protect the most vulnerable members of our community. Cody has seen 6 confirmed cases of COVID-19 this week alone, and virus cases appear to be on the rise nationally. Most of the fatalities related to the virus have occurred in people 60 or older – such as was seen in the Worland Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center. These measures will ensure our senior citizens can enjoy the benefits of the recently lifted restrictions while making their safety of paramount importance.

The decision to allow visitation rests with individual facilities, which are encouraged to consider the local climate when making these determinations. Routine testing of staff and residents at Wyoming long-term care facilities is continuing, with a goal of eventually testing 100% of all staff and residents for COVID-19.

But until then, its face masks, staff supervision, and two visitors at a time.