Long-term Care: COVID-19
On this page:
Visitors and outside services
Other resources
Guidance and resources for long-term care (LTC) facilities.
5/7/20
- Expand testing for residents and workers in long-term care facilities.
- Provide testing support and troubleshooting to clear barriers faster.
- Get personal protective equipment to facilities when needed.
- Ensure adequate staffing levels for even the hardest-hit facilities.
- Leverage our partnerships to better apply their skills and talents.
7/28/20
- Long-term Care Testing: COVID-19
All guidance and materials related to LTC testing activities.
- COVID-19 Toolkit: Information for Long-term Care Facilities (PDF)
Updated 8/14/20
- Employee Illness Tracking Tool (Excel) | Instructions (PDF)
5/26/20 - Helping Long-Term Care Facilities Prevent and Address COVID-19 (PDF)
Actions by MDH and the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) to address emergent issues with LTC facilities.
Updated 4/22/20
- Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) and Fan Considerations for Long-term Care during COVID-19 (PDF)
9/4/20
If a resident passes away in your facility, MDH recommends testing for COVID-19 if there are any confirmed cases in your facility or if the cause of death is not clearly due to causes besides COVID-19. A nasal pharyngeal swab needs to be collected from the deceased individual for testing prior to sending the body to the funeral home or medical examiner's office. The specimen can be sent to MDH for COVID-19 testing free of charge. Please see Evaluating and Testing for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for appropriate forms and submission guidance and call MDH (1-877-676-5414) to report the death and suspicion of COVID-19.
Visitors and outside services
- Recommendations for Long-term Care Visitation and Activities: How and When to Safely Transition to the Next Level Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic (PDF)
- Long-term Care Visitation and Activities Recommendations Summary (PDF)
- Frequently Asked Questions: Long-term Care Visitation and Activities Recommendations (PDF)
- Essential Caregiver Guidance for Long-term Care Facilities
7/10/20 - COVID-19: Visitation Restriction Guidance for Residential Care Facilities in Minnesota (PDF)
3/31/20
- Guidance for Window Visits at Long-Term Care Facilities (PDF)
6/12/20
- Outdoor Visitation Guidance for Long-term Care Facilities (PDF)
6/17/20
- Guidance for Temporary Tent Structures and Clear Dividers for Long-term Care Visitation (PDF)
9/30/20
- Beauty Shop Guidance for Long-term Care Facilities (PDF)
Updated 6/12/20
- Elections and Voting Guidance for Long-term Care Facilities (PDF)
8/27/20
- Guidance for Congregate Living Settings to Assist Residents Requesting Camera Placement (PDF)
4/6/20
Other resources
See Infection Prevention and Control: COVID-19 for guidance on responding to and monitoring exposures, optimizing PPE, and more.
- CDC: Preparing for COVID-19 in Nursing Homes
Tiered recommendations to address nursing homes and long-term care facilities in different phases of COVID-19 response.
COVID-19 information in other languages:
- Kab Mob Khaus Las Nas Vais Lav 2019 (COVID-19)
(Hmong) - Cudurka Koronafayras 2019 (COVID-19)
(Somali) - Enfermedad del Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)
(Spanish) - American Sign Language (ASL) Videos
Contact us:
If you have questions or comments about this page, use our IDEPC Comment Form or call 651-201-5414 for the MDH Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division.