QIN-QIO: Cohorting in Long-Term Care

Pam Meador from the West Virginia Healthcare Association discusses cohorting as an infection prevention and control strategy in long-term care and skilled nursing facilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. DISCLAIMER: After the recording of this podcast, the CDC issued updated guidance on infection prevention and control recommendations to prevent COVID-19 spread in nursing homes. Specifically, the updated guidance recommends empiric use of transmission-based precautions for residents who are newly admitted to a facility and for residents who have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 infection if they are not up-to-date with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses. In general, quarantine is not needed for asymptomatic residents who are up to date with all COVID-19 vaccine doses or who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection in the prior 90 days; potential exceptions are described in the guidance. However, some of these residents should still be tested as described in the testing section of the guidance. For more details on this evolving information, please visit the CDC’s website at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/long-term-care.