In response to increasing cases of COVID-19 in Virginia's long-term care facilities, Governor Northam established the Virginia COVID-19 Long-Term Care Task Force on April 10 to:
- Ensure long-term care facilities have the resources they need to combat the virus;
- Strengthen staffing, testing and infection control measures at long-term care facilities; and
- Keep stakeholders informed about the impact of COVID-19 on long-term care facilities.
Issue areas being reviewed by the Task Force include facility staffing and financing, infection control, personal protective equipment and supplies, COVID-19 testing, communications, and discharge planning.
Membership of the task force is broad based, including:
- State agency representatives
- Long term care facility representatives
- Medicaid managed care organizations
- The Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association
- Family members of long-term care facility residents and their advocates
Upcoming Webinars
Looking to build your knowledge of infection prevention and control? If so, the Virginia Infection Prevention Training Center is pleased to announce a FREE on-demand Foundations Course in Infection Prevention & Control, available starting January 23, 2023.
- Designed for those starting out in their careers in healthcare who require focused education on infection prevention and control (IPC) concepts.
- Topics include vaccines, hand hygiene, microbes, personal protective equipment, waste management, and cleaning & disinfection.
Registration link will be posted soon on the VIPTC website or join our mail list for registration announcements. CE credit offered.
Long-term Care Facilities should follow updated CMS guidance for visitation, COVID-19 testing, and CDC COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control recommendations.
LTCF Task Force Monthly Newsletter
Education & Training Resources
COVID-19 Vaccine Resources
- VDH: CDC and CMS COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations Update (11/09/2022) (Slides), (Video), (Q&A)
- VDEM COVID-19 Cost Recovery Webinar, Slides, Video (01/28/2022)
- CDC: Mini Webinar Series – COVID-19 Prevention Training for Long-Term Care Staff
- CDC: COVID-19 Training for Healthcare Professionals
- VDH: COVID-19 Testing Training
- VDH: N95 Respiratory Fit Testing Train-the-Trainer Course
COVID-19 Staff Vaccination Toolkit
- COVID-19 Vaccination Factsheets (September 9, 2021)
- Conversation Guide and Checklist (September 9, 2021)
- LTF Staff Testimonials (September 9, 2021)
- Vaccination Powerpoint Slides (September 9, 2021)
COVID-19 Vaccine Resources
- COVID-19 Vaccines for Long-term Care Facilities (Recorded May 3, 2021)
- VDSS & VDH ALF COVID-19 Webinar Series, Episode 1 - Vaccine Update; Video (3/25/2021)
- Virginia COVID-19 Vaccine Update - Recorded November 2, 2020
- Virginia Healthcare COVID-19 Vaccination Webinar - Recorded October 22, 2020
- COVID-19 Vaccine Safety and Efficacy Video -Developed by VDH; can be used to address vaccine hesitancy in the facility (1/19/2022)
COVID-19 Related Trainings
- VDSS & VDH ALF COVID-19 Webinar Series, Episode 3 - COVID-19 Infection Control Update; Video (5/27/2021)
- VCU Nursing Home ECHO
- Content will include late-breaking COVID updates, deep-dives into complex, challenging issues such as post-vaccine management, staff support, and acquisition of vital, more advanced QAPI skills to produce effective plans.
- VDSS & VDH ALF COVID-19 Webinar Series, Episode 2 - Testing Update; Video (4/29/2021)
- VDSS & VDH ALF COVID-19 Webinar Series, Episode 1 - Vaccine Update; Video (3/25/2021)
- Lunch and Learn: COVID-19 Best Practices for Visitation and Recommendations for Improving Communication with Families and Responsible Guardians; Video (2/3/2021)
- Lunch and Learn: COVID-19 Resources for Assisted Living Facilities (12/22/2020)
- Lunch and Learn: COVID-19 Resources for Nursing Homes (12/2/2020)
Resource Guide for Developing a Respiratory Program
Check out our NEW Resource Guide for Developing a Respiratory Program!
Learn more about how to develop and implement a respiratory protection program
Register for VDH Respiratory Fit Testing Train-the-Trainer Course
VDH HAI/AR Program Education & Training Resources
Check the VDH HAI/AR Program Education & Training Web Page for the latest infection prevention and control educational opportunitiesCOVID-19 Vaccine Training Events
Check the VDH COVID-19 Vaccine Web Page for Healthcare Professionals for the latest vaccine-related training opportunities
Virginia LTC COVID-19 Data
LTC Facilities Reporting Outbreaks of COVID-19
Due to the rapid spread of the Delta variant and the increase in cases and outbreaks across the state, the COVID-19 Outbreaks by Selected Exposure Settings dashboard was reinstated on August 25, 2021. The publicly posted data includes all outbreaks reported to VDH from long-term care facilities and other exposure settings since August 1, 2021 and will be updated weekly.
COVID-19 Data in Virginia
View Virginia COVID-19 Data Dashboards (Vaccine, Cases & Testing)
Guidance for Long-Term Care Facilities
- HQIN Vaccine Administration and Tracking Tools (Filter on left by Vaccination & Nursing Homes)
- Vaccine Hesitancy Resources
- VDH: COVID-19 Vaccination Response for LTCFs
- CDC: COVID-19 Vaccination
- CMS COVID-19 Vaccine Immunization Requirements for Residents and Staff
Reporting Requirements
- A variance to the Disease Reporting and Control Regulations became effective on April 4, 2022 to exempt Virginia physicians, laboratories, and directors of medical facilities from reporting negative or inconclusive SARS-CoV-2 antigen test results and all SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing results. See the VDH clinician letter from April 5, 2022 for more information.
- Results that entities should continue to report:
- All (positive, negative, and inconclusive) Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAAT)
- All POSITIVE antigen tests
- LTCF COVID-19 Test Results Reporting Requirements (4/16/2022)
- VDH Portal for Reporting Point-of-Care COVID-19 Lab Results
- Instructions: This portal will assist testing sites in meeting the requirement of the CARES Act to report every diagnostic and screening test performed to detect SARS-CoV-2 or to diagnose a possible case of COVID-19. This portal allows the rapid entry of person-level test results for positive results. Non-required test options have been disabled from the VDH point of care portal. All COVID-19 test results should be reported to VDH within 24 hours. Testing sites that are not conducting POC tests, should report results per standard protocols.
- CMS Nursing Home Testing Requirements (9/23/2022)
- Results that entities should continue to report:
- Connect to Test resource to help find available COVID tests; applicable to all types of LTCFs
- VDH: COVID-19 Testing and Laboratory
VDH recommends Virginia long-term care facilities follow current CDC guidance, and recommends nursing homes also follow current CMS guidance. CMS guidance may also be useful for other long-term and residential settings.
COVID-19 Resources
- Interim Guidance for Managing Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 (09/23/2022)
- Strategies to Mitigate Healthcare Personnel Staffing Shortages (09/23/2022)
- COVID-19 Outbreak Response Method in LTCFs (10/18/2022)
- CDC COVID-19 Data Tracker Tool
- COVID-19 Therapeutics Locator
- VDH: Therapeutics Page
- Positive Behavioral Control Checklist for Long-Term Care Facility Staff Interacting with Residents with Cognitive and Emotional Challenges
- Recommendations for Hospitalized Patients Being Discharged to a Long-Term Care Facility During the COVID-19 Pandemic (10/12/2022)
- OSHA COVID-19 Guidance for Nursing Home and Long Term Care Facility Workers
- CDC Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Tool for LTCFs
- Request an Infection Prevention and Control Assessment with the VDH HAI/AR Program
VDH Clinician Letters
- Visit the VDH Clinician Letter page to access recent letters for more information
- VDH COVID-19 Guidance for Nursing Homes (10/20/2022)
- PPE During COVID-19 Response in Nursing Homes (10/19/2022)
- Reminder from the VDH Offices of Emergency Preparedness, Epidemiology, and Licensure and Certification: Nursing Home COVID-19 Screening Requirements for EMS Personnel (05/25/2022)
- CDC Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic (09/23/2022)
CMS
Testing Guidance for LTCFs
- Nursing Home Notification Form to Health Department Regarding Inability to Perform Routine Staff Testing (9/16/20)
- Instructions: Nursing homes can use this form to notify the local health department that your facility is unable to perform routine staff testing according to CMS requirements (i.e., access to point-of-care testing or a private/commercial lab with a turnaround time < 48 hours).
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Nursing Homes - Reporting POC results into VDH Portal versus NHSN
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On January 8, 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) updated their Reporting Guidance for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Language in the document was modified to state that the National Healthcare Safety Network’s (NHSN) Point of Care (POC) Test Reporting tool is the preferred (but not required) method for CMS-certified LTCFs (i.e., nursing homes) to submit COVID-19 POC test results to state health departments and HHS. Additionally, on January 8th, CMS released a memo (page 14) with this update.
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CMS-certified nursing homes may use NHSN or the VDH Portal to report COVID-19 POC test results. Facilities will only need to report to one system, as results from NHSN will be directly sent to state and local health departments. If facilities choose to report to NHSN, they must first upgrade their SAMS access to Level 3. Facilities should report COVID-19 POC test results (positive and negative) within 24 hours regardless of the system that is utilized. Information on reporting in NHSN, including POC Testing Reporting Tool FAQs, can be found on the NHSN LTCF website.
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Guidance for all LTCFs
- The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Updates COVID-19 Recommendations for Healthcare Settings and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Updates Nursing Home Visitation Guidance
- Virginia COVID-19 Long-Term Care Facility Task Force Playbook (1/21/21)
- VDH Facility Employee Daily Screening Form
- VDH Role of Public Health and LTCFs in Preparedness and Response Efforts (6/15/20)
- VDH Line List for COVID-19 Outbreaks
- Management of Hemodialysis Patients Residing in LTCFs
- VDH Optimization Strategies for PPE
- VDH Guidelines for Cleaning and Disinfection (06/07/2021)
Nursing Homes/Skilled Nursing Facilities
- CMS Nursing Home Five Star Quality Rating System Updates, Nursing Home Staff Counts, and FAQs (3/10/2021)
NHSN
Research
- JAMA Original Investigation Article: COVID-19 Risk Factors and Mortality Outcomes Among Medicare Patients Receiving Long-term Dialysis (November 17, 2021)
Template Letters to Residents and Families – from VHCA and LeadingAge
- VHCA - Confirmed Case in LTCF: Letter to Families (5/4/20)
- LeadingAge – Positive Diagnosis: Letter to Residents and Families (5/4/20)
- LeadingAge – Positive Diagnosis in Staff: Letter to Residents and Families (5/4/20)
- LeadingAge – COVID-19 Death: Letter to Residents and Families (5/4/20)
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