Institutions that care for seniors in regions where there is a high prevalence of the novel coronavirus-caused COVID-19 disease, and facilities that are not in high-risk areas but that have had residents with infections should strictly implement a "only-in-no-out" rule, according to a new guideline released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs on Tuesday.

Seniors who need to return to nursing homes, potential new residents, and staff members returning to work and those who are newly recruited should all be put in quarantine for 14 days and must test negative for the virus through nucleic acid tests before they can enter the facilities, the guideline says.

Institutions without infections and those in regions where there is a moderate risk or a low risk can continue to follow the former guideline, which was issued on Feb 7 and which calls for regular temperature checks and for seniors and staff to be discouraged from leaving nursing homes without good reason.