Long-term Care Testing: COVID-19

Testing guidance, recommendations, and resources for long-term care (LTC) facilities.

On this page:
Overview and Guidance
Antigen Testing
Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) Toolkit
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

• COVID-19 Testing Guidance for Assisted Living Facilities (PDF)

Antigen Testing

Considerations for antigen testing in long-term care facilities.

• Using Antigen-based Point-of-Care (POC) Testing for COVID-19 in Long-term Care Facilities (PDF)
  Updated 4/21/21
• Reporting Results of COVID-19 Tests Performed Inside Your Long-term Care Facility (PDF)
  Updated 10/11/21
• How to Report COVID-19 Test Results Using a Spreadsheet (PDF)
  Updated 10/11/21
  • MDH COVID-19 Lab Results Reporting File Template QSA (Excel)
    for Quidel Sofia Antigen testing equipment
  • MDH COVID-19 Lab Results Reporting File Template BVA (Excel)
    for BD Veritor Antigen testing equipment
  • MDH COVID-19 Lab Results Reporting File Template ABN (Excel)
    for Abbott BinaxNow COVID-19 Ag Card

Video: Reporting of Point-of-Care Antigen Tests by Long-term Care Facilities
Short video describing how to fill in the point-of-care antigen test reporting template.

Transcript: Reporting of Point-of-Care Antigen Tests by Long-term Care Facilities (PDF)

Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) Toolkit

Toolkit components provide broad recommendations to plan for, conduct, and respond to a point prevalence survey (PPS) in long-term care facilities. A majority of the content is relevant for all facilities, whether conducting testing on their own or with state support. Any facility performing PPS should refer to the resources in the section below.

As of 6/24/20

• Road Map for Conducting a COVID-19 Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) (PDF)
  Updated 3/22/21
• Form a Team for Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) (PDF)
• Supply Checklist for Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) (PDF)
• PPE and Hand Hygiene for Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) (PDF)
• COVID-19 Specimen Collection for Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) (PDF)
• Template: Printable Test Day Sheet with Symptoms (Word)

Testing Resources

Resources for facilities undergoing resident or staff testing.

• Essential Resources and Forms for COVID-19 Testing and Case Management in Long-term Care Facilities (PDF)
  Updated 3/22/21
• COVID-19 Testing Information for Long-term Care Facilities: Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
  Updated 7/12/21
• Serial Testing of Nursing Facility Staff for COVID-19: Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
  Updated 7/12/21
• Planning and Preparedness Checklist for Testing at Your Facility by a State Mobile Team (PDF)
  5/29/20
• Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care: COVID-19 Testing Notice (PDF)
  Letter sent May 14, 2020
  5/29/20
• 2020-2021 COVID-19 Testing Registration Form (PDF)
  Form for all residents and staff who will be tested to complete.
  Updated 9/30/20
• COVID-19 Testing: Long-term Care Staff and Resident Consent Form (PDF)
  Updated 6/14/20
• What to Do While You Wait for a COVID-19 Test Result
  Includes a printable PDF.
• 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.