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Long-term Care Testing: COVID-19
Testing guidance, recommendations, and resources for long-term care (LTC) facilities.
On this page:
Overview and Guidance
Testing Resources
Employee Testing Posters
Overview and Guidance
Testing guidance and resources for long-term care (LTC) facilities.
Nursing facilities
Federally certified nursing facilities in Minnesota should refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) memo below for COVID-19 testing guidelines:
- CDC: Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 Spread in Nursing Homes
- CMS QSO-20-38-NH: Interim Final Rule (IFC), CMS-3401-IFC, Additional Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency related to Long-Term Care (LTC) Facility Testing Requirements (PDF)
Assisted living facilities
- CDC: Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
- CDC: Interim Guidance for Managing Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2
- CDC: Additional Information for Community Congregate Living Settings (e.g., Group Homes, Assisted Living)
Testing Resources
Resources for facilities undergoing resident or staff testing.
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 refer to 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.
- Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
- Interim Guidance for Managing Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2
- Additional Information for Community Congregate Living Settings (e.g., Group Homes, Assisted Living)
- Reporting Results of COVID-19 Tests Performed Inside Your Long-term Care Facility (PDF)
Updated 5/2/22 - Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care: COVID-19 Testing Notice (PDF)
Letter sent May 14, 2020
5/29/20 - Long-term Care (LTC) Emergency Preparedness
Tools developed to assist LTC facilities with emergency preparedness planning, including a response plan to support COVID-19 testing template and guidance document.
Employee Testing Posters
Posters for long-term care facilities can download and print to promote employee testing.
- Get Tested for COVID-19 (PDF)
- Get Tested for COVID-19 - add facility logo (PDF)
Download and open in Adobe Acrobat to insert your facility's logo.