Will I have to wear a mask?

The federal guidelines say visitors should be required to “wear a cloth face covering or face mask for the duration of their visit,” and states that allow visitation are generally doing so.

The guidelines also call on nursing homes to ensure that visitors practice hand hygiene, but they do not address whether facilities should provide masks or sanitizer. LeadingAge, an organization that represents nonprofit providers of elder care, notes that many nursing homes are “desperately in need” of PPE to cover their own needs.

"If it were me, I would assume that I would have to bring a mask or hand sanitizer with me,” Smetanka says. “I think that's something that facilities are going to want to control themselves, to make sure the masks and the sanitizers are appropriate for use,” she adds, but “people should be prepared to bring their own."