Stanislaus-area nursing homes restrict visitations due to omicron COVID concerns

Jan. 8—Nursing homes are again clamping down on visitations, this time in an effort to prevent the COVID omicron variant from infecting vulnerable patients.

Two blackboards posted outside the door of Brandel Manor in Turlock served notice that, effective Friday, the facility requires proof of the following from prospective visitors: Vaccination status. Booster status. A negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the visit.

The notice said the new rules are a state mandate.

The Modesto Bee was able to clarify that the new requirements for visiting a loved one in a nursing home is not the full battery of vaccinations OR a negative test. The state requirements specify vaccination, a booster AND a negative test.

The isolation of residents in locked-down care facilities was one of the hard pills of the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020. Coronavirus vaccines for nursing home residents, staff and everyone else made people feel safe in restoring visitations last year.

But restrictions have returned because of the highly infectious omicron variant, which is infecting people who are fully vaccinated.

The California Department of Public Health confirmed the state on Dec. 31 issued new requirements for visitors to long-term care centers. The additional requirements amended an Aug. 26 state order.

According to the state, the amended visitation rules apply to nursing homes, intermediate care facilities, and senior care residential centers licensed by the state Department of Social Services.

The state wants facilities to add booster shots and testing to their visitation requirements. The previous mandate was proof of vaccination or a negative test for someone not completely vaccinated.

For an indoor visitation, people are now expected to provide evidence of a regular vaccination, a booster shot and negative test. The state verbiage says the testing can be an antigen test within one day of the visit or PCR test within two days. (It's not clear why Brandel Manor is requiring "72 hours").

"All visitors may use either PCR testing or antigen testing," the state regulation says.

According to the state, the facility can permit an outdoor visit for those not meeting the requirements. Visitors will need an antigen or PCR test for an outdoor visit.

The state said the omicron surge makes additional measures necessary for facilities to ensure "we protect the particularly vulnerable populations in long-term care settings."

The amendment to the Aug. 26 state order makes booster shots and testing mandatory for visitations.

Vickie Halladay, who supported her aunt in a Modesto nursing center for much of the pandemic, said the new regulations seem to be restrictive. In her opinion, those who are fully vaccinated and don't have symptoms should be allowed to visit with a family member in a special area of the facility.

Halladay agreed that visits should not be granted to people unable to prove they're vaccinated.

Halladay said her aunt suffered emotionally from being cut off to personal visits for months in 2020. After COVID vaccinations became widely available in early 2021, Halladay and other folks would show proof of vaccination and pass the screening to visit loved ones in nursing homes.

"Before my aunt died, I remember her saying, 'Loneliness kills,'" Halladay said. "I do believe that. The mental health is a big part of it."

Representatives of Brandel Manor, Casa de Modesto and other care facilities in Stanislaus County did not return messages from The Bee on Friday.

Employees infected at Modesto center

Casa de Modesto was another facility to change its visitation policy this past week. The nonprofit center on Eldena Way provides long-term care, assisted living and other housing for seniors.

In a letter to residents and families Thursday, Case de Modesto said eight staff members had breakthrough cases of COVID-19. The employees were fully vaccinated.

The center asked that visitations be limited to video or phone calls. If any visits are permitted, it is limited to one person per resident, along with the required screening, face masks, social distancing and hand-washing, Thursday's letter said.

Casa de Modesto closed the dining room and was delivering meals to rooms for assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing residents.

The center said it was in communication with local and state health officials and taking infection control precautions such as screening residents and staff for COVID symptoms, testing, masks, more frequent cleaning and disinfecting, and making hand sanitizer available. A disclosure on the Casa de Modesto website said no residents were positive for COVID-19.

Casa de Modesto residents and family members were referred to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site for information about coping with stress.

California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform said the state's stricter visitation rules are essentially a lockout, given the limited access to COVID-19 testing. The advocacy group has argued that more relaxed federal policies conflict with state and local regulations, so consumers may see different visitation rules at different facilities.

CANHR encouraged long-term care residents and their families to urge federal and state governments to erase the testing step for fully vaccinated visitors.

This story was originally published January 8, 20228:40 AM.

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