DSS has announced that VDH, with the assistance of the Virginia National Guard (VANG), is offering to conduct Point Prevalence Surveys (PPS) for COVID-19 testing of residents and staff in ALFs in June and July. VANG will be reaching out directly to ALFs this week during which you may sign up to take advantage of this service. PPS testing is in alignment with best practices for reopening facilities.

Read the June 17 DSS Memo on Point Prevalent Surveys.

A PPS is when there is testing of all residents and staff on a given day. You should review the VDH Planning for Point Prevalence Surveys in Long-Term Care Facilities guidance prior to conducting a PPS and take the necessary steps to prepare your facility, residents, and staff for the testing and results. The guidance can help your facility to prepare and understand the interventions that you may need to implement based on the testing results.

Once a PPS is scheduled, VDH will also provide an Excel template for you to provide a list of your residents and staff to make the testing day more efficient. You will need name, DOB, sex, phone, address (including state and zip), race, ethnicity, and indication of resident or staff for all residents and staff. It may help to start gathering this information now and to go through the VDH checklist in the guidance, to help ensure you are ready for your PPS.

The VANG is also in the process of scheduling PPS at nursing facilities. Scheduling will be done regionally to make the project more logistically feasible.