New York nursing homes and adult care facilities must ensure twice-weekly COVID-19 testing for all staff and report positive results to the state's health department by the following day, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a media briefing May 10.
The mandate is part of a new executive order, which also does not allow hospitals to discharge a patient to a nursing home unless that patient tests negative for the virus.
"If a nursing home cannot provide care for a person and provide the appropriate level of care for any reason, they must transfer the person out of the facility. If they can't find another facility, they can call the state department of health," Mr. Cuomo said, according to cable news TV channel NY1. "All nursing home staff must now be tested twice a week. That's not just a temperature check. That is a diagnostic test."
The new executive order follows a March order from the state's health department that required nursing homes to readmit seniors who left for COVID-19 treatment at a hospital, according to the channel.
The state is requiring nursing homes and adult care facilities to submit a plan on how they will accomplish staff testing and a certificate of compliance with the executive order to the state by May 15. Violation of the executive order could result in operating certificate suspension or revocation or a fine of $2,000 per violation per day, Mr. Cuomo said. Staff who refuse COVID-19 testing will be banned from their workplace until testing is performed.