Thank you, benevolent leaders.

According to The Detroit News…

Nursing home residents vaccinated against COVID-19 can get hugs again from their loved ones, and indoor visits may be allowed for all residents, the government said Wednesday in a step toward pre-pandemic normalcy.

The policy guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, comes as coronavirus cases and deaths among nursing home residents have plummeted in recent weeks at the same time that vaccination accelerated. People living in long-term care facilities have borne a cruel toll from the pandemic. They represent about 1% of the U.S. population, but account for 1 in 3 deaths, according to the COVID Tracking Project.

Government officials acknowledged that isolation deepened the misery for residents and their loved ones as long-term care facilities remained locked down much of last year. The ban on visits went into effect almost one year ago and only in the fall were facilities allowed to begin socially distanced outdoor visits and limited indoor ones.

Of course, it never is just that easy, you see; there are still strings attached.

The Feds are still “suggesting” that masks be worn, even if outside visits occur, and social distancing and washing your grubby paws happen, and even if you are vaccinated. I suspect the last part about the vaccination is because they still do not know how long the vaccination shots are good for. Spitballing this stuff seems to have become an art for these folks over the past year.

The policy of not allowing loved ones to visit their family members in the hospital or care facilities during this past year has been one of the greatest boondoggles of this knee-jerk reaction our humble leaders have hoisted upon us. Just double-mask up for the 30 minutes or so you visit, and everyone should be safe, right? Isn’t that what science and the data tell us?

Yeah, whatever.

I have been a caregiver for over 5 years to my Mom with dementia. I have learned the hard way how to make sure that, when I would go out, to make sure to wash my hands or cover my breathing apparatus (WITHOUT A MASK) when I sneezed or when someone else sneezed and coughed. I did all of this without the government shutting everything down and making monsters of those that had the audacity to question our so-called leaders’ wisdom.

The non-brain surgeons at the CDC have even decided to publish this after a year of having trouble finding their heads on top of their necks.

The CMS guidance moves back in the pre-COVID-19 direction, saying that nursing homes “should allow indoor visitation at all times and for all residents, regardless of vaccination status.” Several exceptions are flagged, such as when a resident is known to be infected or in quarantine.

Compassionate care visits should be allowed at all times, the guidance said, even if there’s an outbreak or a resident is unvaccinated. The term “compassionate care” doesn’t refer just to situations when a resident is near death, but also encompasses circumstances in which a patient is having trouble adjusting.

Imagine that, allowing people to visit loved ones and calling it compassionate care.

Another name or phrase for that is calling it “common sense,” and unfortunately, the majority of the people who make these rules up in unelected and elected positions lack it.