(WSYM) — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has updated testing requirements for long-term care facilities.
Under the revised epidemic order, fully vaccinated staff no longer have to be routinely tested.
"Getting the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is the most important thing you can do to protect yourself, your family and your community,” MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel said in a press release. "The increases we are seeing in Michiganders receiving their vaccine, including among long-term care patients and staff, is allowing us make this change to testing requirements in these facilities.”
Testing continues to be required under the following circumstances:
- Initial testing of all new or returning residents to a facility covered by this Order and newly hired staff when the individual is unvaccinated and has not been tested in the 72 hours prior to intake or start date.
- Testing any resident or staff member with symptoms of COVID-19 or suspected exposure to COVID-19, regardless of that individual’s vaccination status.
- Weekly testing of all residents and staff in facilities experiencing an outbreak (any facility-acquired positive cases among residents or staff) until 14 days after the last new positive case, regardless of vaccination.
- Weekly testing of all unvaccinated staff.
MDHHS says more than 289,000 doses of vaccine have been administered to long-term care patients and staff.
