Taking Reasonable Efforts to Prevent COVID-19 From Entering Your Assisted Living Community, Nursing Homes, Group Home Facilities, Transitional Living Facilities, Adult Family Care Homes
April 22, 2020

The top priority at this point with COVID-19 is to prevent the virus from entering your assisted living community given the high case fatality rate in the elderly. Governor DeSantis temporarily banned the following people from visiting nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult family care homes, long-term care facilities, and adult group homes in Florida:
- Anyone infected with COVID-19 who has not received two consecutive negative tests
- Anyone showing symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath)
- Anyone who's come in contact with an infected individual can't visit the above facilities within 14 days of coming in contact with that individual
- Anyone who's traveled internationally must wait at least 14 days from your return before visiting the above facilities
- Anyone who's traveled on a cruise ship must wait at least 14 days from your return before visiting the above facilities
· Anyone who lives in a community where coronavirus has been confirmed must wait at least 14 days after exiting your community before visiting the above facilities
In addition:
· Family members, friends and visiting residents can only visit in end-of-life situations
· Residents must be discourage from leaving the facility
· Documentation must be kept for visitation within the facility
For a complete list of facilities affected by the Emergency Order and additional restrictions, the Link to the Order is provided below:
- Executive Order 20-91 (Stay-At-Home Order, Essential Services and Activities During COVID-19 Emergency)
- Emergency Order AHCA No. 20-001 (Background Screening - 3/27/20)
- AHCA Follow-up to Agency’s Guidance to Implement Universal Use of Face Masks in Residential / Long Term Care Facilities (3/19/20)
- AHCA Provider Alert: Residential and Long Term Care Facilities to Implement Universal Use of Facial Masks (3/18/20)