In an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in long-term care facilities, the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration has issued an emergency order requiring all facilities to open their doors to state health workers.
Under the order, nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in the state must allow workers from the Florida Department of Health to test on and off-duty staff members for COVID-19. The order also gives department representatives the ability to perform “infection prevention and control” measures. If a facility violates this order, it could face fines and have its license suspended or revoked. Last month, Gov. Ron DeSantis directed the Florida National Guard to create strike teams in an effort to ramp up COVID-19 testing in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities.
