Tennessee lifts restrictions on nursing home visits

FILE - In this June 25, 2020, file photo, residents at the Southern Pines nursing home are separated and wear face coverings during their daily bingo game in Warner Robins, Ga. A new report says COVID-19 cases in U.S. nursing homes jumped nearly 80% earlier this summer, driven by rampant spread across the South and much of the West. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
FILE - In this June 25, 2020, file photo, residents at the Southern Pines nursing home are separated and wear face coverings during their daily bingo game in Warner Robins, Ga. A new report says COVID-19 cases in U.S. nursing homes jumped nearly 80% earlier this summer, driven by rampant spread across the South and much of the West. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee's Department of Health announced Wednesday that it will soon lift its state-specific visitation restrictions for long-term care facilities.

According to a news release, nursing homes and other facilities should use the federal guidance provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services starting Feb. 28.

The agency says all of Tennessee's nursing homes and skilled nursing home facilities have finished giving both doses of the COVID-19 vaccinations, and the state's assisted care living facilities and residential homes for the aged are expected to be fully immunized by the end of the week.

"Now that vaccinations at all long-term care facilities are nearing completion, we are ready to transition to a more sustainable approach of following these best practices for safe operation of long-term care facilities in Tennessee," Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey said in a statement.

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