Hospitals can accept visitors at their discretion beginning today
Group homes also can open doors to guests on Friday
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today that hospitals can start allowing visitors today, as long as they have time limits for the visits and the guests wear personal protective equipment and are checked for symptoms of Covid-19, as well as a temperature check.
Hospitals can use their discretion in allowing visitors. The hospital aren’t required to allow guests.
Cuomo also announced today that group homes serving disabled residents can allow visitors beginning on Friday, as long as the homes meet state guidelines with precautions in place. The group homes must notify the NYS Office of People With Developmental Disabilities if they will be allowing visitors.
And the guests must all wear masks, and be subject to symptom and temperature checks.
Visitors aren’t allowed at nursing homes. Cuomo said the State Health Department continues to study the nursing homes, where the residents are considered a “high-risk population.”
“The health department doesn’t feel the reward justifies the risk right now,” Cuomo said.
The governor said the state continues to make progress in the fight against Covid-19.
On Monday the state had 1,538 people hospitalized with Covid-19, the lowest since mid-March, when the state closed schools and many businesses, and restricted the size of social gatherings.
