HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - The U.s. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new recommendations on how to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CDC recently issued new testing guidelines for nursing home residents and healthcare personnel.
The CDC wants nursing homes to have different phases of how they respond to COVID-19, and they want every facility to have one person in charge of the company’s infection control program.
The CDC also is requiring the creation a more unified reporting system.
“The highest risk people are in nursing homes or assisted living facilities. We know that when COVID gets into those areas, it can be very dangerous,” said Dr. Ryan Light with the Tidewater Physicians Multispecialty Group.
He and other medical experts are monitoring the current conditions carefully.
With more people getting out with the start of summer, the CDC is also offering advice on how to gather.
“If you want to gather with friends for a cookout, as much as possible, use single-serve options and remind guests to wash their hands before and after eating. Maintain social distancing, wear cloth face coverings when possible, practice hand hygiene and avoid sharing frequently-touched items,” said Jay Butler, the Deputy Director for Infectious Diseases.
The CDC says the more people an individual interacts with at a gathering and the longer that interaction lasts, the higher the potential risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 and COVID-19 spreading.
Officials say the public can't let their guard down.
For more information about what you need to know about gatherings, click here.
For the new CDC coronavirus recommendations, click here.