Washington State Governor Requires Long-Term Care Facilities To Test Staff & Consenting Residents For COVID-19

Washington State Governor Jay Inslee announced a statewide order requiring nursing homes and assisted living facilities with memory care units to offer testing to all consenting residents for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The order also requires testing of any employee, contractor, volunteer, or other personnel who provides health care, personal care, social, administrative, clerical, dietary, environmental, or any other kind of services in the facility. Staff members who provide medical justification for declining testing from a licensed health care professional are exempt from required testing.

The state of Washington will provide test kits and personal protective equipment (PPE) for . . .