MDHHS updates testing requirements for long-term care facilities May 7, 2021

MDHHS updates testing requirements for long-term care facilities

Routine testing no longer required for fully vaccinated staff members

LANSING, MICH. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has revised its epidemic order for COVID-19 testing in long-term care facilities across the state to reflect current guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.  

Under changes to the COVID-19 testing order for skilled nursing facilities, homes for the aged and adult foster care facilities licensed to care for 13 or more individuals, fully vaccinated staff no longer must be routinely tested. This order is effective immediately. 

“Getting the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is the most important thing you can do to protect yourself, your family and your community,” said MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel. “The increases we are seeing in Michiganders receiving their vaccine, including among long-term care patients and staff, is allowing us make this change to testing requirements in these facilities.” 

Testing continues to be required under the following circumstances: 

• Initial testing of all new or returning residents to a facility covered by this Order and newly hired staff when the individual is unvaccinated and has not been tested in the 72 hours prior to intake or start date. 
• Testing any resident or staff member with symptoms of COVID-19 or suspected exposure to COVID-19, regardless of that individual’s vaccination status.  
• Weekly testing of all residents and staff in facilities experiencing an outbreak (any facility-acquired positive cases among residents or staff) until 14 days after the last new positive case, regardless of vaccination.
• Weekly testing of all unvaccinated staff.

More than 289,000 doses of vaccine have been administered to long-term care patients and staff. All facilities have first dose clinics completed with 98% completing second dose clinics. Third clinics to vaccinate anyone from the second clinic that needs their second dose have been completed at 99.5% of these facilities. Facilities are responsible for requesting, obtaining and maintaining a record of vaccination status for all residents and staff members. 

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit  Michigan.gov/COVIDVaccine.  

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