Ohio Again Loosens Restrictions on Visits to Nursing, Assisted-Living Communities

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced Monday that the state is again relaxing coronavirus restrictions on visits to nursing and assisted-living communities, allowing residents to have visitors in their private rooms and physically touch each other provided masks are worn, according to Cleveland.com . Communities will also be required to permit at least half hour-long visits so long as coronavirus rules are followed. The governor's announcement comes 11 days after a previous declaration that, in compliance with revised federal health guidelines, Ohio nursing communities can again allow indoor visits at all times — if most residents are vaccinated and coronavirus cases in the surrounding area are limited. DeWine also said he is expanding the number of conditions under which loved ones can schedule indoor "compassionate care" visits at nursing communities that are not yet allowed under COVID-19 rules to generally receive visitors. Meanwhile, new state rules mandate that nursing communities must be tested for the coronavirus once weekly if they are vaccinated, and twice weekly if they are not.