VISITING RESTRICTIONS

North Carolina’s year long ban on visitation in nursing homes and long-term care facilities is about to end.
Federal guidelines supporting expanded visitation were issued last week and state guidelines will soon be reformed.
Most residents are now fully vaccinated, as are many caregivers. It’s time to agree that the limited risk from a vaccinated family member visiting a vaccinated resident can’t justify the actual harm to residents by visitation restrictions.
In addition to revising restrictions, North Carolina must adopt legislation that recognizes an essential caregiver and grants them protected access rights so that this travesty never happens again.

William E. Lamb
Board chair, Friends of Residents in Long Term Care

Article Source: https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article249798028.html