On November 13, 2020, Governor Holcomb issued Executive Order 20-48, which goes into effect starting at 11:59 PM on November 14, 2020, through December 12, 2020.
As it relates to long-term care facilities, the Executive Order states long-term care facilities located in Red Counties should restrict visitation per the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) and Indiana Department of Health’s (IDH) guidelines. Accordingly, long-term care facilities located in counties with over 10% positivity should restrict indoor visitation per CMS’s QSO 20-39 and IDH’s Visitation Guidelines. Based on the state’s weekly press conference, it was previously thought that facilities located in Red Counties could choose to limit all visitation, but the Executive Order states that long-term care facilities should adhere to CMS and IDH guidelines.
The Executive Order also directs all Indiana businesses and nonprofit entities to place a sign at the public and employee entrances stating that face coverings must be worn and to only admit those wearing face coverings. Long-term care facilities that do not already have such signs at public and employee entrances should do so by midnight on November 14, 2020.
The remainder of the Executive Order is not specific to long-term care facilities and implements specific restrictions for Orange and Red Counties, such as restrictions on restaurant capacity and limitations on social gathering sizes. When referring to Orange and Red Counties, the Executive Order is referring to the IDH’s color-coded County Metrics Map, which is updated each Wednesday at noon on the state’s main COVID-19 Dashboard.
The statewide face covering requirement has also been extended through December 12, 2020. If you have any questions, please contact Laura Brown at Lbrown@ihca.org.