Guidance Updated to Support Outdoor Visitation at Long-term Care Facilities

June 16, 2020

The Wyoming Department of Health has issued updated guidance to allow long-term care facilities to permit in-person visitation outdoors under specific guidelines.

The new guidance requires visits to occur in a designated outdoor space, limits visitors to two persons at a time and requires screening of visitors for symptoms of respiratory illness. A facility staff member trained in patient safety and infection control measures must remain with the resident at all times during the visit. Staff and residents must wear surgical face masks and visitors are required to wear face coverings.

“We recognize how challenging this pandemic has been for Wyoming’s aging population and their families,” Governor Gordon said. “Isolation can be debilitating for our seniors. I’m glad we are able to take this step to make in-person visits possible in a safe manner.”

Routine testing of staff and residents at Wyoming long-term care facilities is continuing, with a goal of eventually testing 100 percent of all staff and residents for COVID-19. The decision to allow visitation rests with individual facilities, which are encouraged to consider local conditions when making visitation determinations.