COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Governor Mike DeWine cited new federal guidelines as justification to begin allowing indoor visitations at Ohio nursing homes.
DeWine made the comments during his live coronavirus address Thursday.
Under the new guidelines, family and friends may visit Ohio nursing homes regardless of the vaccination status of the resident or visitor.
The following exceptions would prevent visitation:
- Unvaccinated residents, if the COVID-19 county positivity rate is greater than 10 percent and less than 70 percent of residents in the facility are fully vaccinated;
- Residents with confirmed COVID-19 infection, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, until they have met the criteria to discontinue transmission-based precautions; or
- Residents in quarantine, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, until they have met criteria for release from quarantine.
DeWine admitted that the new guidance was complicated and urged Ohioans to visit coronavirus.ohio.gov for more information. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has also published the new guidelines.