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West Virginia Allows Nursing Home Visits To Resume

By: Associated Press
Posted on: Monday, August 24, 2020

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Nursing home visits are being allowed again in West Virginia as the state focuses on outbreaks of the coronavirus in individual county populations without clamping down on areas without them.

Gov. Jim Justice wears a mask during a virtual news conference in which he announced a statewide order that mandates face coverings in buildings outside of a person's home on Monday, July 6, 2020. — Gov. Jim Justice wears a mask during a virtual news conference. [WVPB]

But Gov. Jim Justice warns that the visits could end quickly in some places if further outbreaks occur within nursing homes themselves.

Officials will use the same color-coded county alert system they’ve applied to public schools to determine whether nursing homes will remain open.

Visits will be unrestricted in green and yellow counties, will be limited to compassionate care nursing home residents in orange counties and will be banned in red counties.