Nursing Home Visitations To Resume In NY Under CDC Guidelines

Governor Andrew Cuomo says the New York State Health Department will be putting out guidance to allow visitation to resume at nursing homes.

He says the guidance will be in accordance with the CDC guidelines on visitation.

Guidance on visitations will be available beginning on Monday, February 22nd.

"New Yorkers should be commended for how they have continued to beat back this invisible enemy and as we continue that progress, we're working to reopen parts of our lives that we've had to give up because of COVID," Governor Cuomo said. "One of the most devastating aspects of this virus has been how it separated families from their loved ones, making an already difficult situation even harder to bear. Thanks to the dedication of New Yorkers, we're now at a point where we can begin to resume nursing home visitations under strict guidelines to protect the health and safety of residents

Cuomo says the DOH will be providing rapid tests to nursing homes and visitors must take a rapid test before entry.

The governor says 73 percent of nursing home residents have now been vaccinated.

Meanwhile, here are New York’s latest coronavirus numbers.

The state’s COVID-19 positivity rate is 3.49 percent.

The rate in the Mohawk Valley Region is 2.1 percent.

Hospitalizations are just over 6,100.

There were 111 COVID deaths statewide on Thursday..