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NYSDOH Issues DAL – Updated Nursing Home Testing Requirements

The purpose of this Dear Administrator Letter (DAL) is to confirm that nursing homes licensed in NYS should follow the requirements for routine testing of nursing home personnel as well as testing of symptomatic or exposed staff and residents, and staff and residents during an outbreak situation as outlined in the most recent CMS QSO 20-38 Revised September 10, 2021. This letter also details the operator’s responsibility for ensuring ongoing testing for purposes of routine surveillance of COVID-19 transmission.

To facilitate surveillance testing of unvaccinated medically or other exempt nursing home staff in New York State, the Department will continue to distribute Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 tests directly to nursing homes, based on availability to support the CMS required second weekly staff test for those with community transmission warranting such frequency (surveillance testing). This distribution is not intended to support the provider’s responsibility to conduct outbreak testing or be the source of tests for the first weekly test. Until further notice, tests will continue to be allocated on a monthly basis, with the next delivery occurring in November. See full guidance attached.

Other Keys Updates 

  • The weekly staff testing survey will be changed to monthly starting November 3rd
  • To ensure full preparation for ongoing vaccinations, the NYS DOH is directing each provider, if you have not yet done so, engage in outreach immediately with residents, families, staff and your vaccine partners to plan for the administration of COVID-19 booster shots to the populations determined eligible. Providers should work with their clinical teams to assess booster eligibility, and timing, clinical status of underlying medical conditions, risk of complication, comorbidities and transmission/exposure/infection risk.

NYSHFA/NYSCAL CONTACTS:

Lisa Volk, RN, B.P.S., LNHA
Director, Clinical & Quality Services
518-462-4800 x15