Long-term care center rule changes allow some visitors

COLUMBUS – Governor Mike DeWine on Thursday announced a plan to lift restrictions on visitation at some long-term care facilities.

The easing of the restrictions will allow outdoor visits at assisted-living centers and intermediate-care facilities for individuals with developmental disabilities beginning on June 8. The decision was made after considering the impact on the quality of life a prolonged loss of connection can have on an individual, DeWine said.

But the order does not yet apply to nursing homes.

“I know that causes anguish to a lot of people but we’re trying to do this so that we don’t increase the COVID inside the nursing homes or assisted-living or the intermediate-care facilities…so we’re going to start with those two,” DeWine said during his televised Statehouse coronavirus briefing Thursday.

Individual facilities will control visitations but their policies must include screening for temperatures and symptom-reporting for visitors, scheduled hours and time limits for visits, proper social distancing measures, face coverings and education about the risks of the spread of COVID-19, DeWine said.

During end-of-life situations, new guidelines say centers should notify family members when a substantial change of condition indicates end-of-life is approaching and should not wait until the resident is actively dying before allowing visitors.

The guidelines for visitation were developed by the Academy for Senior Health Sciences, Leading Age Ohio, the Ohio Assisted Living Association, the Ohio Health Care Association, and the Ohio Medical Director’s Association, he said.

The state on Friday reported 34,566 cases of COVID-19 in Ohio and 2,131 deaths.

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The State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy has clarified rules that allow pharmacists to order and administer tests for COVID-19, DeWine announced Thursday.

Ohio has expanded its priority list for groups that can obtain coronavirus testing. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

A map has been added to the state Department of Health’s COVID -19 website that lists testing centers in Ohio and includes links to community health centers and pharmacy sites where Ohioans can find information about how to get a test referral or schedule an appointment.

DeWine also announced that Ohio has expanded its priority list for groups that can obtain testing quickly to include people with symptoms who do not belong to the first three priority groups: Hospitalized patients and health care workers; residents of long-term care facilities, emergency responders, Ohioans over 65; those recovering from essential medical procedures.

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The Columbus Metropolitan Library is expanding its curbside pickup service to four additional branches.

Starting Monday, curbside pickup will be available at the Karl Road Branch, 5590 Karl Rd.; the New Albany Branch, 200 Market St.; the Reynoldsburg Branch, 1402 Brice Rd., and the Whitehall Branch, 4445 E. Broad Street.

The library is also allowing limited computer use at two of its branches beginning Tuesday.

At the Linden Branch, at 2223 Cleveland Avenue, and the Martin Luther King Branch, at 1467 E. Long Street, officials say a limited number of computers will be available for 50-minute use.

Customers can copy, print, fax and scan but browsing or checkout of materials will not be available.

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The state’s Fair Advisory Group has released guidelines for how county fair boards and agricultural societies can work with county health departments to safely operate junior fairs for youth.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to claim summer festivals in central Ohio.

The City of Dublin Thursday announced the cancelation of the 33rd annual Dublin Irish Festival, which had been scheduled for July 31-Aug. 2, citing the safety of guests and staff and the “challenges of adhering to social-distancing guidelines, assuring fiscal responsibility and maintaining the highest quality entertainment experience.”

The festival attracts more than 100,000 guests and generates an estimated annual economic impact of $8.5 million, said Cathy Witchey, the city’s events coordinator.

Ticket buyers will have the option to receive a refund or transfer their tickets for use at the 2021 festival, set for Aug. 6–8.

The pandemic had already forced the cancellations of the Ohio State Fair, the Columbus Arts Festival, the Jazz & Ribs Festival and Festival Latino.