Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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1675. To ask the Minister for Health the restrictions that are in place currently for those visiting public nursing homes; if there are plans to put in additional restrictions in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1308/22]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) provides a suite of public health guidance including in relation to visiting to long-term residential care facilities, which is reviewed and updated regularly. The HPSC has published updated guidance on visiting in long-term residential care: COVID-19: Normalising Visiting in Long Term Residential Care Facilities (LTRCFs). The most recent version came into effect on 10 January 2022.

The guidance emphasises the need to ensure visiting policy is based on risk assessment, which should take into account, among other things: the overall care needs, rights and wishes of residents, the level of vaccination of residents in the nursing home, the current incidence of COVID-19 in the surrounding community and the capacity of the nursing home to manage risks associated with visiting.

Broadly, the guidance provides for visiting as follows:

- From two weeks after the date when a high proportion (about 8 out of every 10 residents in the nursing home) are fully vaccinated (including booster vaccination) the minimum level of visiting should be 4 visits per week by up to 2 people at one time.

- In the absence of a high proportion of vaccine coverage of residents (as noted above) no less than 2 visits per week should be facilitated. The number of people participating in each visit should normally be 1 person unless there are specific circumstances that require that the visitor is supported by an additional person. 

Where a nursing home is in the early stages of an outbreak, it may be necessary, on consultation with local Public Health, to defer indoor visits for a period. In such cases, nursing homes are encouraged to facilitate alternative forms of communication and engagement between residents and visitors. Restrictions to visiting should be justified by an up-to-date risk assessment and should be reviewed at least every 2 weeks. At all times visiting on compassionate grounds, which are outlined in the guidance, should be facilitated.

Outdoor visiting where safe distance can be maintained is low risk and can be facilitated at all times in line with public health advice.

The guidance also sets out a range of protections and safeguards that should be followed in order to manage risk. Visitors and nursing homes should continue to adhere to general public health advice and the necessary infection prevention and control measures to reduce the risk of introduction and spread of COVID-19. This includes mask wearing in communal areas, hand hygiene, cough etiquette, and self-checks for symptoms of respiratory illness regardless of immunity or vaccination status. Visitors are required to show proof of immunity through previous COVID-19 infection or vaccination status in line with the guidance. Visitors are now recommended to self-test for COVID-19 antigen before a visit. However, nursing homes do not need to provide, perform, or request evidence of a visitor’s self-test for COVID-19 antigen.