Solar Eclipse Guidance from DOH
On April 2, 2024, the Department of Health (DOH/the Department) released a Health Advisory Alert with guidance for health care providers regarding the expected effects of the upcoming solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.
The DOH guidance included preparatory actions for hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, home health agencies, hospice providers, and all other health care providers.
Review the complete notice for viewing guidance for staff and patients.
Home Care Guidance
HCP urges our provider members to review the below highlights targeted specifically for the long-term care sector, including home care services.
- Notify patients of the eclipse and what to expect, and that providers may be late.
- Determine which patients need to be seen daily and which ones can have visits postponed.
- Remind staff of the eclipse and ramifications for travel for themselves and their families.
- Recommend visits by family or friends be postponed or scheduled for a different day.
- Conduct a call-down of staff to determine availability.
General Guidance
The Department’s advisory also offers the following guidance for ALL provider types:
Staffing
- Depending upon your facility or patient location, staff could be impacted by increased congestion on the roads due to visitors from out of the area.
- All staff should anticipate longer travel times and should expect traffic delays to and from facilities or patients’ homes.
- All staff should anticipate public transportation delays and cancellations.
- Remind staff to schedule more time for travel to and from assignments that day.
- Review shift change and staff report times to the facility and adjust, if necessary, to avoid delays in staff reporting for their shift.
- Additionally, some staff may not be able to leave due to traffic delays and congestion; plan for accommodating those staff.
- Messaging staff in advance of the eclipse should include the above information and reminders on how to prepare.
Facility Command Center Activation
- Work with your leadership to determine if you will activate a command center for the eclipse.
- Determine the operational periods and staffing plans for the command center, as appropriate. Communicate this information to your County Emergency Management Office and your New York State Department of Health Regional Office.
- Plan briefings with leadership well in advance to ensure sufficient planning.
- Consider food, medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, linen, and medical gas.
- If congestion is significant, it could impact supply chain and deliveries in the days following the eclipse.
Local Health Department/Emergency Services
- Work with your Local Health Department and Emergency Management division as needed and appropriate.
- Review/confirm how to request additional resources.