Sunday, August 2, 2020

Governor Whitmer extends Executive Order protecting people in long-term care facilities

LANSING, Mich. - Today, in order to protect Michigan’s most vulnerable populations living in congregate settings, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-156, which continues the limited and temporary restrictions on the entry of individuals into health care facilities, residential care facilities, congregate care facilities, and juvenile justice facilities previously imposed by Executive Order 2020-136. 

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services remains empowered to specify exceptions to these restrictions.

“We must remain vigilant in our fight against COVID-19 and protect our most vulnerable citizens from the spread of this virus,” said Governor Whitmer. “This executive order protects more long-term care facility residents and staff, including the most vulnerable residents in our nursing homes. I know seniors and their families are making sacrifices every day during this crisis, and moving forward, I will work closely with the Michigan Nursing Homes COVID-19 Preparedness Task Force to protect our most vulnerable communities, the heroes on the front lines, and our families from this virus.”

Executive Order 2020-156 maintains restrictions on visitation to health care facilities, residential care facilities, congregate care facilities, and juvenile justice facilities, while authorizing the Department of Health and Human Services to gradually re-open visitation as circumstances permit.

This policy has been in place since March, and consistently prohibited entry into a nursing home by a person exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.

The order is effective immediately and continues through August 31, 2020.

The health and safety of nursing home residents and staff remains a top priority for Governor Whitmer.

On June 26, she created the bipartisan Michigan Nursing Homes COVID-19 Preparedness Task Force within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), which is charged with, among other things, analyzing relevant data on the threat of COVID-19 in nursing homes, and making recommendations to the governor on improving data quality, and releasing periodic reports to the governor on its findings and recommendations.

The task force must produce a recommendation to the governor for an action plan on how to prepare nursing homes for any future wave of COVID-19 cases by August 31, 2020.

To view Executive Order 2020-156, click the link below:

Full Article & Source:
Governor Whitmer extends Executive Order protecting people in long-term care facilities

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