CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — On Thursday, Governor Greg Abbott announced families would be able to see their loved ones in nursing homes, but our local health director says, unfortunately, it won’t happen that quickly and it won’t be that easy.
”Additionally, all nursing home facilities assisted living centers state supported living centers and other long-term care facilities are allowed to reopen for visitations,” said Abbott.
That new mandate begins Thursday. Annette Rodriguez, the director of our health department says it won’t be as easy as walking in and picking up where you left off. What was not mentioned directly by the governor is that those who are going to visit have to test negative for COVID-19 before being allowed inside a facility.
”If they just tested negative yesterday they could actually come in and see their mother but if they haven’t tested in 14 days then they’re going to have to test so that way the nursing facility is certain that they actually do not have COVID-19,” said Rodriguez.
Knowing that folks are going to have to get tested every 14 days to be able to visit a nursing home resident the health department is working on setting up testing sites to help make that easier.
”So the health district is going to set up two different dates maybe Monday and Thursdays we’re still working out the details where we’re going to actually going to in order to meet the governor’s new order to allow this we’re going to try to help them as well,” said Rodriguez.
That testing plan is not expected to be up and running until sometime next week. Rodriguez says that in the meantime people can go to a state testing site or use their own physician to get a COVID-19 test.