Visitors may soon be allowed back inside Florida's long-term care facilities, if recommendations by the state's task force continue to move forward.

Florida's Task Force on the Safe and Limited Reopening of Long Term Care Facilities met for a third time Wednesday afternoon, to work out the details of a plan that would allow visitors back inside the state's nursing homes and assisted living facilities. 

The group agreed to recommend both indoor and outdoor visits to Governor Ron DeSantis, as long as a facility has no new COVID-19 cases for at least 14 days.  Those visits would also have to follow CDC guidelines, including proper PPE, health screenings and be socially distanced. 

The task force also plans to recommend the implementation of an "Essential Caregiver," a person with an established record of visiting, who would be allowed in to help care for their loved one, regardless of any new COVID-19 cases at the facility. 

The meeting ended with AHCA Secretary Mary Mayhew assuring the task force a formal draft of the plan will be ready early next week.  The task force will then have to finalize it before it is sent to Governor DeSantis.

“The governor is obviously aware of the sense of urgency. I am confident that once we receive those final recommendations back from the Governor, this is not a lengthy process on our end," Mayhew said of the process to then amend the current emergency rule.  "That will not be weeks. It shouldn’t even be many days.”