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CDC opens door to maskless indoor visits for the vaccinated, but long term-care residents must wait

New guidance from the CDC is offering more flexibility for those who are fully vaccinated, but similar guidance for skilled nursing facilities has yet to come.

MINNEAPOLIS — For weeks, those who have received the COVID-19 vaccine have been asking what types of interactions are safe to resume. Today the CDC finally offered some specifics, but the reality might be different for long-term care residents.

According to the new CDC recommendations, two weeks after full vaccinations, individuals are able to:

  • Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
  • Visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
  • Refrain from quarantine and testing following a known exposure if asymptomatic

"At least we can start to think about the possibilities now of normalcy, for the first time in a long time," said Dr. Bill Morice, President of Mayo Clinic Labs. 

Though the new guidelines mark a big shift for the CDC, Dr. Morice said the guidance is based on reliable, emerging science.

"The bottom line is we're learning more about COVID and the vaccines and how protective they are," Dr. Morice said. "We're starting to get evidence that people who are vaccinated are less apt to spread the disease. That's going to be the next kind of piece of information to put into the puzzle." 

For example, a new Mayo Clinic study of its vaccinated healthcare workers is one of several that are beginning to show real world vaccine benefits that go beyond the trials.

Despite all the encouraging information, and shifting guidelines, those with loved ones in long-term care will likely have to wait longer for the reunions they've been hoping for.

"Many people are writing to me about the CDC guidance already," said Minnesota Ombudsman for Long-Term Care, Cheryl Hennen. "The Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services, also known as CMS, they need to issue revised guidance that licensed facilities must follow in order to open up more."

MDH says it's looking into when and how those changes might come.

"We reached out to CMS because we're equally eager and they indicated that they have not changed their guidance at this point," said Kris Ehresmann, Director of Infectious Disease for MDH. "We'll wait for their guidance, but I do know that because of the vulnerability of this population they're being very cautious."

Hennen says some long-term care communities have already started resuming dining, activities and expanding visitation.

"But that needs to be consistent," Hennen said. "That first step we need to see consistently happening around the state. It makes logical sense, if you're vaccinated, and we know we're seeing positive things happen, that we see change. Now we just need to make those opportunities happen and reunite people. Don't lose hope because we will get there."

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