Nursing home residents are among the most vulnerable populations for COVID-19 and comprise a high percentage of COVID-19 deaths in Ohio. To protect these residents and the staff who take care of them, the presence of COVID-19 in nursing home facilities must be identified so that measures can be put into place to isolate the virus and contain its spread.
Responsible RestartOhio
Testing Order and Guidance
Each nursing home licensed by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) or certified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), or the Ohio Department of Medicaid shall cooperate with the COVID-19 testing for staff and residents as required by ODH. This includes, but is not limited to, strategic testing of residents to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within a facility and a community. Each nursing home facility in Ohio must also require all employees to be tested.
- Director’s Amended Order for the Testing of the Residents and Staff of all Nursing Homes (March 23, 2021): Ohio Department of Health
- Director’s Order for the Testing of the Residents and Staff of all Nursing Homes (5/27/2020): Ohio Department of Health
- Updated Guidelines for the Testing of the Residents and Staff of all Nursing Homes (Effective December 21, 2020) - Summary
- Joint memo from Ohio Departments of Health and Aging Re: Updated Guidelines for the Testing of the Residents and Staff of All Nursing homes
- Contingency and Crisis Facility Staffing Guidance: Ohio Department of Health
Training and FAQ
- COVID-19 Testing in Nursing Facilities - Frequently Asked Questions (Updated Dec. 21, 2020)
- Abbott BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Antigen Test Demonstration Video
- Abbott BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 AG Card
- Abbott BinaxNOW Product Expiry Extension Effective March 2021
- COVID-19 Anterior Nares Specimen Collection Tutorial
- Long-Term Care Facility Reporting Requirements for COVID-19 POC Antigen Testing Video: Ohio Department of Health
COVID-19 Testing
- Long-Term Care Facility Testing Schedule
- Ohio Nursing Facility COVID-19 Testing Opt-In/Opt-Out Schedule
- Ohio Nursing Facility COVID-19 Testing Opt-In/Opt-Out Survey (Reopens April 19, 2021 Through April 25, 2021)
Laboratory Information
- Battelle Memorial Institute
- Dayton Children's Hospital Laboratory
- Industry Lab Diagnostic Partners
- MAKO Medical Laboratories
- Ohio Department of Health Laboratory
- The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
- Quest Diagnostics
- UC Health Laboratory
Resources
- Guidance for Electronic Submission of COVID-19 Testing Results: Ohio Department of Health
- State of Ohio COVID-19 Laboratory Registration: Ohio Department of Health
- ODH Lab Portal Bulk Upload Instructions for Users: Ohio Department of Health
- ODH Lab Portal Bulk Upload Dictionary for Users: Ohio Department of Health
- Electronic Lab Submission Form – Instructions for Batch Upload Webinar (October 5, 2020): Ohio Department of Health
- MAKO COVID-19 E-Req Scheduler
- Considerations for Use of SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Testing in Nursing Homes: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- COVID-19 Pre-Surge and Longer Term Planning Toolkit for Long Term Services and Community Supports
- How to Request Resources Through Your County EMA: Ohio Department of Health
