COVID-19 HUB
COVID-19 HUB
COVID-19 HUB
Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) in Adult Social Care Guidance - UPDATED 25 MARCH 2024
This guidance has been updated in line with changes to testing policy from 1 April 2024.
Routine COVID-19 lateral flow device (LFD) testing of asymptomatic individuals prior to discharge from hospital into care homes is no longer required. Testing may still be undertaken, based on local risk assessment by the hospital together with the care home, for example during outbreaks.
The ordering portal for accessing LFD test kits for outbreak testing has now closed. During a suspected outbreak of acute respiratory infection (ARI), settings can access multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests through their local health protection team (HPT) to help identify the infection responsible.
Guidance on visiting has been updated to reflect the new Care Quality Commission (CQC) fundamental standard on visiting and accompanying in health and care settings (Regulation 9A) which requires, among other things, that care home residents must be facilitated to receive visits, and not discouraged from taking visits out of the care home.
To read the guidance in full, please visit the UK Government website:
Infection prevention and control (IPC) in adult social care: acute respiratory infection (ARI)
UK Government COVID-19 Guidance - UPDATED 16 NOVEMBER 2023
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) updated its guidance - Covid 19 supplement to the infection prevention and control resource for adult social care :
"As a result of protection by high vaccination coverage, high immunity amongst the population, and increased access to COVID-19 treatments, we are now in a position to manage COVID-19 increasingly like other respiratory infections." Testing and IPC measures are focused on protecting the most at risk of severe outcomes.
Key pieces of information include:
Vaccination
- remains a primary protection measure against both COVID-19 and flu, helping to reduce the risk of serious illness, hospitalisation and death. COVID-19 vaccines are offered during seasonal campaigns for those at high risk of serious disease from COVID-19 and who are therefore most likely to benefit from vaccination. COVID-19 vaccines are also available for health and social care workers and carers to protect health and social care services from COVID-19 related staff absences over winter. The latest information on COVID-19 vaccine campaigns is available on the NHS website.
Flu vaccination is also an important defence against severe outcomes caused by the flu virus and reduces the risk of co-infection with COVID-19 and flu. People who are at higher risk of flu associated morbidity and mortality, including older people and those in clinical risk groups, continue to be prioritised for vaccination.
Staff or service users who are eligible for COVID-19 treatments - Individuals who are eligible for COVID-19 treatments and who have symptoms of a respiratory infection
should take an LFD test immediately and follow the guidance for people who are eligible for COVID-19 treatments. If they have a high temperature or they feel unwell, they are advised to avoid contact with other people.
If the individual’s test results are all negative, they can return to their normal activities if they do not have a temperature and they feel well enough to do so. f they receive a positive test result, they should also follow the guidance in the section on
Staff or service users with a positive COVID-19 test result.
Staff or service users who are not eligible for COVID-19 treatments
Individuals who are not eligible for COVID-19 treatments
no longer need to test
if they develop symptoms of a respiratory infection.
Staff who have symptoms of a respiratory infection and who have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to go to work are advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people. These staff members do not need to take an LFD test if they are symptomatic.
Care home residents who have symptoms of a respiratory infection and who have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to do their usual activities are advised to avoid contact with other people. They should be supported to stay away from others until they no longer have a high temperature or no longer feel unwell.
These residents are not required to take an LFD test if they are symptomatic.
These residents are able to have at least one visitor during this time, with appropriate IPC precautions.
Refer to the section on Visiting arrangements in care homes of DHSC Guidance.
If 2 or more linked care home residents develop symptoms of a respiratory infection within 14 days
During a suspected outbreak, there is no longer a need to test the whole home to identify COVID-19 cases. Linked asymptomatic cases are no longer defined as outbreaks. If 2 or more linked care home residents develop symptoms of a respiratory infection within 14 days of each other, the first 5 residents with symptoms should take a COVID-19 LFD test, whether or not they are eligible for COVID-19 treatments. After this, only residents who are eligible for COVID-19 treatments should take an LFD test if they become symptomatic.
If an outbreak is identified, care homes should revert to the guidance for management of single cases 5 days after the last positive or symptomatic case. Further LFD testing in an outbreak should only be done following an HPT risk assessment and on HPT advice in relation to specific concerns.
Care home residents who have a positive COVID-19 test result
Care home residents who test positive should be supported:
- to stay away from others for a minimum of 5 days after the day they took the test
- access appropriate treatments as quickly as possible if they are eligible
- receive at least one visitor at a time with appropriate IPC precautions
- one visitor at a time per resident should always be able to visit inside the care home – this number can be flexible in the case that the visitor requires accompaniment (for example if they require support, or for a parent accompanying a child); this does not include visiting professionals - visitors should be advised before seeing a resident that they have had a positive test and are advised to stay away from others; this can be done by the resident or by the care home if they are not able to do this
-go into outdoor spaces within the care home grounds through a route where they are not in contact with other residents
-avoid contact with other people who are eligible for COVID-19 treatments for 10 days after a positive test
The Manager should also inform the resident’s GP of the positive test result.
After 5 days, the resident can return to their normal activities if they feel well and no longer have a high temperature.
Residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 do not need to stay away from others for more than 10 days regardless of symptoms. Clinical advice should be sought as there may be other causes of continuing symptoms. Advice may be sought about period of staying away from others for residents who are eligible for and/or have taken COVID-19 treatments.
Staff who have a positive COVID-19 test result
Staff who test positive should stay away from work for a
minimum of 5 days
after the day they took the test.
After 5 days, staff can return to work once they feel well, and do not have a high temperature. If they are still displaying respiratory symptoms when they return to work, they should speak to their line manager who should undertake a risk assessment.
Although many people will no longer be infectious to others after 5 days, some people may be infectious to other people for up to 10 days from the start of their infection. Staff should be supported to avoid contact with people at higher risk from becoming seriously unwell from COVID-19 for up to 10 days after the day they took their test.
Covid Outbreak
Definition; An outbreak consists of 2 or more positive or clinically suspected linked cases of COVID-19, within the same setting within a 14-day period. This means the cases are linked to each other and transmission within the care setting is likely to have occurred.
If an outbreak is suspected, the care home should undertake a risk assessment as soon as possible to determine if there is an outbreak and if control measures are needed. the first 5 linked symptomatic residents should be tested using LFD tests irrespective of their eligibility for treatments. This is to determine if there are 2 or more linked cases of COVID-19 or another respiratory infection.
If an outbreak is identified where the risk assessment determines that there are 2 or more linked positive cases of COVID-19 within the same setting within a 14-day period, additional measures to manage the outbreak should be considered, which may include:
-proportionate reductions in communal activities
-proportionate reductions in admissions which may include temporary closure of the home to further admissions
-restriction of movement of staff providing direct care to avoid risk of outbreaks spreading between different parts/wings of the home
-proportionate changes to visiting. Some forms of visiting should continue for all residents. One visitor at a time per resident should always be able to visit inside the care home. This number can be flexible in the case that the visitor requires accompaniment (for example if they require support, or for a parent accompanying a child). End-of-life visiting should always be supported. There should be no restrictions on visits out for individuals who are not positive or symptomatic
Outbreak measures can be lifted 5 days after the last suspected or confirmed case. This is from the day of the last positive test, or the day the last resident became unwell, whichever is latest.
Residents should be monitored for up to a further 5 days after this to ensure they can access appropriate treatments where necessary.
To read the full guidance, please visit the UK Government website.
Infection Prevention & Control (IPC)
Visitors should not enter the care home if they are feeling unwell, even if they have tested negative for COVID-19, are fully vaccinated and have received their booster. Transmissible viruses such as flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and norovirus can be just as dangerous to care home residents as COVID-19. If visitors have symptoms that suggest COVID-19, they should follow the guidance for people with symptoms of a respiratory infection.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
All staff at Palm Court are following current national guidelines on wearing PPE. Staff have regular hand washing competency checks and frequent hand washing and hand sanitising are encouraged in the home as well as before and after assisting residents.
Admissions Protocol
To safeguard our residents, any new admissions are accepted only after confirmation of a Negative PCR test result.