30 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • DECEMBER 9, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
health
COVID-19 antibody testing event coming to Forest Hills
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Aft er several successful events this year,
Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr. is hosting a free
COVID-19 antibody testing event in Forest
Hills on Sunday, Dec. 19.
A team from Valhalla Medics will be at the
Bukharian Jewish Community Center, located
at 106-16 70th Ave., from noon to 2 p.m.
to provide free COVID-19 antibody tests to
the community.
“I have been trying to bring Valhalla
Medics into the diff erent communities within
my district, and I am happy to be able to
come to Forest Hills next month with this
fantastic, free event,” said Addabbo, who
thanked Valhalla Medics for their continued
partnership, as well as the Bukharian Jewish
Community Center for opening up their
space for the event.
During Addabbo’s last event held in Belle
Harbor, about 70 people were tested, he said.
Th e test that will be given is a rapid
IgG/IgM antibody test, which is done
using a nearly painless fi nger prick to
draw a small bead of blood that is
transferred for processing.
Aft er about a 10-minute wait, patients are
given a form with a write-up of their results
that is signed by the technician who performed
the test. Th ese IgG/IgM tests can
detect and diff erentiate between the presence
of the short-term (IgM) and the longterm
(IgG) antibodies.
According to Addabbo, it’s important for
people to get an antibody test, even aft er
being vaccinated.
A test can show antibodies from the
COVID-19 vaccine and it can determine
if a person had the virus in the past. It can
also show a current infection of COVID-
19. While data has shown that even if a person
is vaccinated, there is a small chance that
they can still contract the virus and spread
it to others.
Valhalla Medics will be providing free
giveaways for all those who come down to
get the free antibody test.
No insurance is necessary to take part in
the testing event. Anyone who wishes to participate
in the event and get their free rapid
antibody test is urged to register by calling
Addabbo’s offi ce at 718-738-1111 to secure a
spot. Walk-ups will also be welcomed.
Elder Law Minute TM
Visitation now allowed for all nursing home residents
BY RONALD A. FATOULLAH, ESQ.
AND STACEY MESHNICK, ESQ.
The following are excerpts from CMS Center
for Clinical Standards and Quality/Survey &
Certifi cation Group Ref: QSO-20-39-NH, REVISED
11/12/2021:
In March 2020, U.S. Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services (CMS) issued memorandum
QSO-20-14-NH providing guidance to
facilities on restricting visitation of all visitors
and non-essential healthcare personnel,
except for certain compassionate care
situations, such as an end-of-life situation.
In May 2020, CMS released Nursing Home
Reopening Recommendations, which provided
additional guidance on visitation for
nursing homes as their states and local communities
progress through the phases of
reopening.
Recently, on November 4, 2021, CMS
issued a regulation requiring that all nursing
home staff be vaccinated against COVID-
19 as a requirement for participating in
the Medicare and Medicaid programs. This
requirement also applies to nearly all
Medicare and Medicaid-certified providers
and suppliers. CMS will continue to monitor
vaccination and infection rates, including
the effects of COVID-19 variants on nursing
home residents, which have recently caused
the number of cases to slightly increase.
However, at this time, continued restrictions
on this vital resident’s right are no longer
necessary.
Facilities must now allow indoor visitation
ELDER LAW
at all times and for all residents as permitted
under the regulations. While previously
acceptable during the Public Health
Emergency, facilities can no longer limit the
frequency and length of visits for residents,
the number of visitors, or require advance
scheduling of visits. Although there is no
limit on the number of visitors that a resident
can have at one time, visits should be
conducted in a manner that adheres to the
core principles of COVID-19 infection prevention
and does not increase risk to other
residents.
CMS protocol indicates that all facilities
should ensure that physical distancing can
still be maintained during peak times of visitation
(e.g., lunch time, after business hours,
etc.). Also, facilities should avoid large gatherings
(e.g., parties, events) where large
numbers of visitors are in the same space
at the same time and physical distancing
cannot be maintained. During indoor visitation,
facilities should limit visitor movement
in the facility. For example, visitors
should not walk around different halls of
the facility. Rather, they should go directly
to the resident’s room or designated visitation
area. Facilities may contact their local
health authorities for guidance or direction
on how to structure their visitation to reduce
the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
If a resident’s roommate is unvaccinated or
immunocompromised (regardless of vaccination
status), visits should not be conducted
in the resident’s room, if possible. For situations
where there is a roommate and the
health status of the resident prevents leaving
the room, facilities should attempt to
enable in-room visitation while adhering to
the core principles of infection prevention.
If the nursing home’s county COVID-19 community
level of transmission is substantially
too high, all residents and visitors, regardless
of vaccination status, should wear face
coverings or masks and physically distance,
at all times. In areas of low to moderate
transmission, the safest practice is for residents
and visitors to wear face coverings or
masks and physically distance, particularly if
either of them is at increased risk for severe
disease or are unvaccinated.
If the resident and their visitor(s) are fully
vaccinated and the resident is not moderately
or severely immunocompromised,
they may choose not to wear face coverings
or masks and to have physical contact.
Visitors should wear face coverings or masks
when around other residents or healthcare
personnel, regardless of vaccination status.
Additional information on levels of community
transmission is available on the CDC’s
COVID-19 Integrated County View webpage.
At Ronald Fatoullah & Associates, the
health and well being of our clients and
staff remain in the forefront. We encourage
everyone to practice social distancing and
masking whenever possible.
Throughout the pandemic, the firm has
been able to help many people who were
unprepared legally and financially for this
health-care crisis. When possible, we will
continue to consult with clients via telephone
or video conference in order to minimize
the number of people in the office at
any given time.
Please call our office should you have any
questions. As always, we are there for all our
clients’ legal needs, and will continue to be a
resource to our colleagues and friends.
Ronald A. Fatoullah, Esq. is the founder
of Ronald Fatoullah & Associates, a law
firm that concentrates in elder law, estate
planning, Medicaid planning, guardianships,
estate administration, trusts, wills, and real
estate. Stacey Meshnick, Esq. is a senior staff
attorney at the firm who has chaired the firm’s
Medicaid department for over 15 years. The
law firm can be reached at 718-261-1700,
516-466-4422, or toll free at 1-877-ELDERLAW
or 1-877-ESTATES. Mr. Fatoullah is also
a partner with Brightside Advisors, a wealth
management firm with offices in New York
and Los Angeles.
This summary is not legal advice and does not
create any attorney-client relationship. This summary
does not provide a defi nitive legal opinion
for any factual situation. Before the fi rm can provide
legal advice or opinion to any person or entity,
the specifi c facts at issue must be reviewed by
the fi rm. Before an attorney-client relationship is
formed, the fi rm must have a signed engagement
letter with a client setting forth the Firm’s scope
and terms of representation.
RONALD FATOULLAH
ESQ, CELA*
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