The Biden Administration is calling on all long term care facility leaders to step up this winter to protect residents, staff, and visitors from serious illness or death from COVID-19.

• The administration issued a Winter Playbook for nursing homes and other long term care facilities.

Why it matters: While COVID-19 is no longer the disruptive force it once was, real challenges persist, seniors continue to have the highest risk of being hospitalized and dying because of COVID-19.

• COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are rising in many parts of the country including in nursing homes and other congregate settings.
• This increased circulation of the virus is likely to continue during the winter, when people gather indoors with loved ones and respiratory viruses like COVID-19 and the flu spread more quickly.

Action for facilities (read the Winter Playbook for a full list of recommended actions):

Help residents and staff access updated COVID-19 vaccines.

• Offer COVID-19 vaccinations to residents and staff and educate them about their benefits. This is a CMS requirement for nursing homes.
• For skilled nursing facilities, leverage new flexibilities to have staff administer COVID-19 vaccines this winter. Take advantage of newly available single-dose vaccine vials so residents can get a vaccination when they want one.
• Other long-term care facility settings can act to help their communities get the updated vaccine.

Ensure that residents and staff tested if they are symptomatic and that they know how to access COVID-19 treatment options if they test positive.

• Working with pharmacy partners, ensure your facilities have adequate supply of oral antivirals stocked to minimize treatment delays and ensure patients initiate treatment within five days of symptoms.
• Initiate test-to-treat programs within your nursing homes. This can include prescribing by clinicians as well as consulting pharmacists to ensure that residents have timely access to care for COVID-19.
• Educate your prescribing clinicians so that they feel comfortable providing treatment and reviewing guidance that provides information on how many drug interactions with Paxlovid can be readily managed.

Improve indoor air quality across facilities.

• Schedule an HVAC inspection to ensure the system is operating properly and address issues found in the assessment.
• Replace air filters in mechanical ventilation systems to the highest filtration level they can accommodate, including MERV-13 filters when possible.
• Switch HVAC systems to the “on” position instead of “auto” at all occupied hours, with increased run-time and enhanced settings when COVID-19 Community Levels are higher.
• Use portable air cleaners in areas where residents, staff, and visitors congregate, such as dining rooms, recreation rooms, and resident rooms, to supplement clean air flow.
• Remember, CMP Reinvestment funds are available to nursing homes to offset the costs of some indoor quality improvements.