DETROIT – There is growing excitement at nursing homes and long-term care facilities about being named among the first in line to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it’s available. READ: Timeline of when Michigan officials hope to have COVID-19 vaccine available to general publicThose kinds of facilities have been particularly hard hit. The owner of a large nursing home group said the recommendation from the CDC is a game-changer for the better. According to the state’s website, the group has had a total of 162 deaths of residents and 4 staff deaths. She believes being first in line for the vaccine is critical to keeping long-term care facilities safe.

Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order Wednesday to extend protection for residents and staff members at long-term care facilities amid the coronavirus pandemic. “From day one, I have taken action to protect both seniors and staff in long-term care facilities from COVID-19. “That’s why we have been working around the clock to protect our seniors and aggressively following CDC guidance to limit the spread of COVID-19 in nursing homes. I signed an order months ago requiring testing for all residents and staff and new residents, and my administration has helped get nursing homes thousands of tests. According to the press release, the centers “will be care units dedicated exclusively to caring for and isolating COVID-19-affected residents.”The order also requires nursing homes to inform legal guardians or health proxies of residents or employees testing positive.

LANSING, Mich. – Residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities in Michigan can start seeing visitors outdoors Tuesday as a new order goes into effect. An order signed last week by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services will allow an exception to Gov. The new order, which goes into effect Tuesday (Sept. 15), will allow outdoor visitation as long as certain COVID-19 safety guidelines are followed. “The Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman Program welcomes this cautious step forward to allow outdoor visits with residents of long-term care facilities,” said Salli Pung, the program ombudsman. MDHHS previously eased visitation restrictions for residential care facilities in an emergency order issued June 30.