Wake Forest, NC – State health officials said Thursday that nursing homes across North Carolina could resume to allow visitors indoors.
Visitors have generally been banned from nursing homes since March in order to limit the spread of the coronavirus to the highly vulnerable indoor population. The only exceptions have been when the residents are near death so that family members can see them one last time.
But the State Department of Health and Human Services said coronavirus infections in nursing homes and other long-term care settings are “declining rapidly.”
North Carolina added about 4,000 cases each month in nursing homes and residential care centers last fall, but the number rose to nearly 9,000 in December, reaching more than 10,000 in January.
The number has now returned to levels close to the previous fall.
Officials said the drop is likely due to a move to vaccinate staff and residents as soon as a vaccine became available.
According to the state, more than 205,000 vaccinations have been administered to long-term care workers and residents since January.
After testing negative for coronavirus, Paula and Ray Nickola were able to visit his mother at Cadence in Wake Forest on Thursday.
“You don’t know how special this is, because Ray isn’t a hugger,” Peggy Nickola said as her son and daughter-in-law put their arms around her.
Peggy Nickola said it was “pretty devastating” to be without her family for the past year. But she said her daughter-in-law would call her every morning to read Bible passages over the phone.
Ray Nickola said it was extremely difficult not to have his mother home for Christmas. Like so many others during the pandemic, he had to wish his mother a very merry Christmas plexiglass
“I am 62 years old, and that is the first time that I have not been to her,” he said. ‘It was very unusual. It just didn’t seem right. ‘
Peggy Nickola is now fully vaccinated and she looks forward to spending next Christmas and much more with her lover the ones.
“W.But I keep telling everyone, if you have a family that cares about you, you’re way ahead. My kids have been extremely wonderful, ”she said.
Nursing homes should continue to monitor infection control measures for visitors, such as masks and distancing themselves from others. In addition, each facility must have reported no new infestations for 14 days before visitors were admitted.
Mark Foreman, Cadence’s executive director at Wake Forest, said no virus cases have been reported at the facility, and he doesn’t expect that to change now that outsiders come in.
“There is always a possibility [for infection], of course. But we’re not going to lower our standards in that direction, ”Foreman said.
“I know it has been a long, difficult year for residents and families, but those measures have saved lives and now allow us to resume safe indoor visits,” said DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen in a statement. “While we must continue infection prevention practices, this decline is also a positive sign of the impact vaccinations have on our communities.”
Visitors should contact a specific facility to learn more about rules and policies.