The vast majority of nursing home residents in this country have been vaccinated against COVID-19 and will have a reduced risk of infection. As a result, the Norwegian Health Directorate and the National Institute of Public Health are changing some guidelines for visiting nursing homes.
There is a much lower risk of COVID-19 infection following vaccination
Many elderly people have long been subject to severe visiting restrictions. When a large part of the nursing home residents stayed vaccinatedsome measures can now be relaxed. There is a much lower risk of COVID-19 infection after vaccination, but it does not completely go away because the vaccine does not provide complete protection for everyone. Residents and relatives should be informed about this.
What changes?
The change is that vaccinated residents may again come into close contact with some of their loved ones. Now common areas in buildings can be used for visits if it is possible to keep at least one meter distance from others. It will not always be necessary to arrange visits in advance and the number of visitors will be limited only by national or local recommendations. This also applies to areas with a high risk of infection.
It is also encouraged to facilitate the delivery of services important to the physical or mental health of nursing home residents. Some unvaccinated residents may require more frequent screening than vaccinated residents. A more detailed description of this can be found in the updated tips.
Source: fhi.no
