E China province reopens elderly care homes as epidemic eases

NANJING - East China's Jiangsu province has begun reopening all of the 2,450 aged care institutions as the coronavirus outbreak is waning, according to local authorities.

Companies or institutions providing elderly care services should conduct thorough disinfection and safety inspections of their facilities and equipment before the elderly and caregivers return, according to a guideline released by Jiangsu's department of civil affairs earlier this month.

Seniors within the province can be accepted without a 14-day medical observation but appointments are required, it said.

The guideline also noted that elderly care institutions should strengthen the monitoring, prevention and management of asymptomatic carriers of the novel coronavirus.

Around 152,800 seniors live in elderly care institutions across Jiangsu. Among them, no infections have been reported.