DOJ Guidance on Visitation in Medical Facilities and Accessibility of Outdoor Retail/Dining

On January 5, the Department of Justice updated its “Common Questions About COVID and the ADA” to address visitation in medical facilities and accessibility of outdoor dining and retail spaces. 

The guidance clarifies that the ADA requires medical facilities to allow visitors if they are needed to ensure equal access to care for people with disabilities and provides examples of situations to which this requirement may apply. It also clarifies that outdoor retail and dining spaces (sometimes called “streateries”) must be accessible to people with disabilities and provides examples of how those establishments and local governments can ensure accessibility.