WEBSTER, N.Y. — Nearly a year into the pandemic, some families are still waiting to visit their loved ones in nursing homes. Now, the state has announced new guidelines for visitation.

The staff at Hill Haven Transitional Care Center on Empire Boulevard explains what these new rules are. 

People can now visit long-term care facilities after getting a negative test, but that's only if a facility hasn't had a positive COVID-19 case in the last 14 days.

For example, the Hill Haven website says the last case was on February 18. That means visitation appointments wouldn't open up until March 5. And that's if there are no other positive cases.

The New York State Department of Health will give rapid tests to nursing home facilities so that when it has been COVID-19 free for two weeks, people can get tested on-site at no cost before heading inside to visit their loved ones.

In counties with a COVID-19 positivity rate between 5% to 10%, visitors will be welcome but will be required to get tested within 72 hours of coming to a facility.

In counties with a positivity rate below 5%, testing is encouraged but not required. And if you have received both your first and second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, you may not need to be tested either.

"If a visitor has had two vaccines, and it has been 14 days since the second vaccine, and they're still within 90 days of that second dose for the vaccine, there's probably no need for a test," said Dr. Howard Zucker, Commissioner of Health for New York state.

In counties with a positivity rate above 10%, nursing homes will not be allowed to have visitors.

However, in some cases, loved ones will be able to visit if the health of a resident is rapidly deteriorating.