Illinois Relaxes COVID-19 Mitigations for Healthcare Facilities, Long-Term Care Centers
October 20, 2022
Governor Pritzker has again updated his executive orders pertaining to COVID-19, specific to masking, testing and vaccination requirements for healthcare facilities and long-term care centers. The amended EO took effect on Oct. 17, 2022, and matches up with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 revised recommendations.
The amended EO removes:
- Weekly testing requirements for unvaccinated healthcare workers and those who work in long-term care facilities
- The requirement for face coverings in all healthcare facilities
- Vaccine mandates for both long-term care center and healthcare employees
Face coverings are still recommended in Illinois healthcare facilities in areas with high community transmission of COVID-19. Although face coverings are not required, individual facilities can still impose their own policy regardless of community transmission.
The updated executive order does not impact vaccination and testing requirements for state employees at state-owned congregate facilities.
The state will also continue to enforce a federal rule, which will remain in place, requiring vaccination for workers at Medicare- and Medicaid-certified facilities.
If you have questions, please contact the ISMS Health Policy Research and Advocacy team by email.