US Health Regulators To Begin Mandating Weekly Coronavirus Testing For Nursing Home Staff In States With High Rates Of Transmission
- July 23, 2020
The Wall Street Journal (7/22, Mathews, Kamp, Subscription Publication) reports US health regulators will begin mandating weekly coronavirus testing of staff at nursing homes in states with high rates of coronavirus infections. The requirement was announced Wednesday but will only take effect when CMS issues a formal rule on the matter.
Bloomberg Law (7/23, Johnson, Pugh, Subscription Publication) reports the new requirement – “and $5 billion in new funding from the CARES Act provider relief fund – builds on an earlier HHS announcement that rapid [COVID-19] antigen testing devices will be distributed to nursing homes in the coming weeks.” CMS Administrator Seema Verma said, “As caseloads continue to increase in areas around the country, it has never been more important that nursing homes have what they need to maintain a sturdy defense against the virus.”