Guidance Library: COVID-19

List of guidance documents available for COVID-19 response.

On this page:
Businesses / employers
Schools, child care, and higher education
Community
Facemasks and PPE
Health Care
Contact us

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• Minnesota Department of Health Process for Assessing Situational Risk for Transmission SARS-CoV-2 (PDF)

Businesses / employers

• COVID-19 Recommendations for Business and Industry (PDF)
  Updated 6/30/21
  
  
• Food Safety during the COVID-19 Pandemic
  Compilation of resources from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), and other state and national agencies. Includes guidelines for the meatpacking industry.
  
  
• Guidance for Environmental Health Response to COVID-19 Cases in Regulated Business (PDF)
  Guidance for state and local environmental health (EH) specialists to expand the scope of the types of outbreaks to which they typically respond.
  Updated 6/30/21
  
  
• CDC: Workplaces and Businesses

Schools, child care, and higher education

• Recommended COVID-19 Decision Tree for People in Schools, Youth Programs, and Child Care Programs (PDF)
  This tool provides the decision-making guidance for schools, child care, youth programs (i.e., camp, sports, and other community activities).
  Updated 10/18/21
  
  
• Best Practices for Handling a Confirmed Case of COVID-19 (PDF)
  Information for schools, child care, youth programs, and camps.
  Updated 11/17/21
  
  
• Best Practice Recommendations for COVID-19 Prevention in Schools for the 2021-22 School Year (PDF)
  Strategies to reduce transmission of COVID-19. Using these best practice prevention strategies consistently protects students, teachers, staff, and other members of their households and creates a safer in-person environment.
  Updated 12/2/21
  
  
• Recommendations for Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Delivering Direct Student Support Services (PDF)
  This document provides strongly recommended practices to school staff on the type of protective equipment that will be needed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission when delivering direct student support services.
  Updated 10/7/21
  
  
• Recommendations for Providing Support to Students in Their Homes (PDF)
  This document outlines recommendations for school district staff providing in-home services to meet individual student needs.
  Updated 10/7/21
  
  
• Guidance for Providing Nebulization Treatments (PDF)
  This document provides recommendations on the use of nebulizers and peak-flow meters in schools and other educational venues.
  Updated 7/9/21
  
  
• Ventilation Guidance for Schools: COVID-19
  Information for school administrators and facilities managers who are responsible for ventilation in buildings.
  
  
• CDC: Schools, Child Care, and Colleges

Institutes of higher education

• Guidance for Mitigating COVID-19 at Institutions of Higher Education (PDF)
  Updated 12/27/21
  
  
• Recommendations for Responding to Different Scenarios of COVID-19 Transmission at Institutions pf Higher Education (PDF)
  Updated 12/27/21
  
  
• Recommendations for Responding to COVID-19 Cases and Outbreaks in Institutions of Higher Education (PDF)
  Updated 12/27/21
  
  
• Occupational Health and Safety Resources Related to COVID-19
  
  
• CDC: Colleges, Universities, and Higher Learning

Community

• Indoor Air Considerations: COVID-19
  General considerations for air flow, ventilation, circulation, and more.
  Updated 1/22/21

Music, camps, and youth programs

• Recommendations for Music Activities and Performances During COVID-19 (PDF)
  Updated 6/30/21
  
  
• COVID-19 Prevention Guidance for Youth Programs and Day and Overnight Camps (PDF)
  Updated 12/7/21

Community- and faith-based organizations

• Recommendations for Attendees and Organizers of Events: COVID-19
  
  
• COVID-19 Guidance for Festivals, Fairs, and Large Gatherings (PDF)
  6/30/21
  
  
• Caring for People in Their Homes (PDF)
  Updated 6/30/21
  
  
• COVID-19 Planning Recommendations for Funeral Services and Ceremonies (PDF)
  Updated 6/30/21
  
  
• Recommendations for Hmong Funerals during COVID-19 (PDF)
  Updated 6/30/21
  
  
• Mortuary Science
  Licensing and regulation of funeral establishments; includes COVID-19 specific guidance.
  
  
• CDC: Community Organizations and Gatherings

Congregate living and care facilities

• Guidance for Facilities Providing Transportation Services during COVID-19 (PDF)
  Updated 10/8/21

Homeless service providers

• COVID-19 Investigational Toolkit for Homeless and Other Congregate Settings (PDF)
  Updated 11/22/21
  
  
• CDC: Homeless Populations

Jails and correctional settings

• COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Grid for Correctional Settings (PDF)
  Updated 12/15/21
  
  
• COVID-19 Vaccine Facts in Correctional Facilities (PDF)
  4/8/21
  
  
• COVID-19 Investigation Toolkit for Correctional Settings (PDF)
  Updated 12/15/21
  
  
• CDC: Correctional and Detention Facilities
  • Interim Guidance on Management of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Correctional and Detention Facilities
  • Interim Guidance for SARS-CoV-2 Testing in Correctional and Detention Facilities

DHS licensed residential and non-residential settings

• Recommended Protective Actions in Residential and Non-Residential Settings Licensed by DHS (PDF)
  Updated 11/8/21

Adult day centers and day service facilities

• CDC: Guidance for Adult Day Services Centers

Home and community based community residential settings

• CDC: Guidance for Group Homes for Individuals with Disabilities
• CDC: Guidance for Direct Service Providers

Intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ICF-IID)

• CMS: Policy and Memos to States and Regions
• CDC: Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic

Facemasks and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Recommendations for Wearing Masks
  What everyone should know about wearing masks in public.
  
  
• Masking Recommendations for Child Care
  Recommendations for those caring for children of essential workers (child care providers, family child care providers, and school-age care).
  
  
• COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment and Source Control Grids (PDF)
  For congregate care settings, by community transmission level.
  12/7/21
  
  
• Crisis Standards of Care: Personal Protective Equipment
  Includes COVID-19 PPE recommendations and resources.
  
  
• CDC: Use of Masks to Slow the Spread of COVID-19

Health Care

• COVID-19 and Dental Care
  When to see a dentist and what counts as a dental emergency.
  
  
• COVID-19 Recommendations for Health Care Workers (PDF)
  Recommendations for health care workers who are ill or living with a person suspected of having COVID-19 regarding self-quarantine and restriction from work.
  Updated 12/8/21
  
  
• Defining Crisis Staffing Shortage in Congregate Care Facilities
  Crisis-level staffing criteria, strategies, and guidelines for congregate care facilities.
  
  
• Guidance for Temporary Plastic Barriers in Health Care Settings
  12/18/20
  
  
• Information for Organizations Requesting Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card
  
  
• Information for Organizations Requesting Cue Rapid Molecular Tests
  
  
• Interim Guidance for Discharge to Home or New/Re-Admission to Congregate Living Settings and Discontinuing Transmission-Based Precautions (PDF)
  Updated 6/4/21
  
  
• Ivermectin and COVID-19 (PDF)
  Information for health care organizations and providers.
  10/14/21
  
  
• Prescribing Antibiotics in Outpatient Settings during the COVID-19 Pandemic (PDF)
  4/9/21
  
  
• Best Practices for COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Sites: Disability-related Accessibility

Infection prevention and control

• Aerosol-Generating Procedures and Patients with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 (PDF)
  Updated 6/22/21
  
  
• Responding to and Monitoring COVID-19 Exposures in Health Care Settings (PDF)
  Interim guidance for assessing, monitoring, and protecting health care workers during widespread community transmission.
  Updated 12/8/21

Long-term care

• Principles for COVID-19 Cohorting in Long-term Care (PDF)
  11/25/20
  
  
• Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) and Fan Considerations for Long-term Care during COVID-19 (PDF)
  5/19/21
  
  
• Vaccine Provider Models for COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts in Minnesota Long-term Care Facilities (PDF)
  Updated 9/8/21
  
  
• Long-term Care COVID-19 Booster Vaccination Plan (PDF)
  Proposed COVID-19 booster distribution and administration plan for LTC facilities. Includes COVID-19 Vaccine Dose Tracker template.
  Updated 11/10/21
  
  
• Long-term Care Using MIIC to Query COVID-19 Vaccination Status (PDF)
  11/10/21
  
  
• Long-term Care COVID-19 Vaccine Resources (PDF)
  Updated 3/31/21
  
  
• How to Complete the Long-term Care COVID-19 Vaccination Reporting Form (PDF)
  Updated 5/26/21
  • LTC Weekly COVID-19 Vaccine Reporting Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
    1/19/21
    
    
• Long-term Care Guidance for Outings
  Updated 11/15/21
  
  
• COVID-19 Guidance: Long-term Care Indoor Visitation for Nursing Facilities and Assisted Living Settings (PDF)
  Updated 12/29/21
  
  
• Long-term Care Visitation Guidance Flowchart for Outbreak Status (PDF)
  Updated 4/20/21
  
  
• Long-term Care Visitation Guidance Flowchart for Exceptions (PDF)
  3/17/21
  
  
• Essential Caregiver Guidance for Long-term Care Facilities
  Updated 6/30/21
  
  
• Outdoor Visitation Guidance for Long-term Care Facilities (PDF)
  Updated 6/3/21
  
  
• Beauty Shop Guidance for Long-term Care Facilities (PDF)
  Updated 4/13/21
  
  
• Guidance for Congregate Living Settings: Placing Resident-requested Electronic Monitoring Devices (PDF)
  Updated 2/9/21
  Previously called Guidance for Congregate Living Settings to Assist Residents Requesting Camera Placement.
  
  
• Essential Resources and Forms for COVID-19 Testing and Case Management in Long-term Care Facilities (PDF)
  Updated 3/22/21
  
  
• Road Map for Conducting a COVID-19 Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) (PDF)
  Updated 3/22/21

Health care facilities and systems

• Considerations for SARS-CoV-2 Testing in Acute Care Facilities (PDF)
  9/23/21
  
  
• Access to Support in Hospital Settings: Patients with Disabilities and Pediatric Patients (PDF)
  Updated 3/2/21
  
  
• Vaccination During COVID-19
  Addresses the importance of continuing routine vaccination during the pandemic.
  
  
• CDC: Healthcare Workers: Information on COVID-19
  Clinical care, vaccine, infection control, settings, operations, guidance, and research.
  
  
• CDC: Information for Laboratories about Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Contact us

• IDEPC Comment Form
  Use this form to contact the Minnesota Department of Health for questions or comments about health related issues or this web page.
• Contact the State of Minnesota
  Use this contact form for questions or comments related to businesses and employment or other non-health related issues.