The Ontario government has provided more guidance and updated information about the gradual resumption of visits by family and friends of residents in long-term care homes, retirement homes and other residential care settings, beginning June 18, 2020.
Specifically:
• Long-term care homes will allow outdoor visits of one person per resident each week at a minimum. Retirement homes will resume indoor and outdoor visits in designated areas or resident suites when physical distancing can be maintained. Other residential care settings will be able to allow outdoor visits of two people at time.
• Visits will be subject to strict health and safety protocols, including requiring visitors to pass active screening every time they visit, confirming with staff that they have tested negative for COVID-19 within the previous two weeks, and complying with the infection prevention and control protocols. This includes bringing and wearing a face covering during visits."
The following conditions must be met before visitors can enter:
- homes must not have a COVID-19 outbreak;
- homes must have an established process for communicating visitor protocol and the associated safety procedures; and
- homes must maintain the highest infection prevention and control standards.
Additional guidance released by the government is available here (long term care homes):
http://health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/ltc/docs/covid-19/mltc_resuming_ltc_home_visits_20200611.pdf
and also here (retirement homes):
