Covenant HealthCare reinstating visitor restrictions
Click here for updates on this story
SAGINAW, Michigan (WNEM) — Covenant HealthCare is reinstating visitor restrictions starting April 1.
The changes come, as the hospital says, during the community’s increase in positivity rates and a moderate increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations.
“While 70 percent of our workforce has been vaccinated, and today Covenant is hosting another mass vaccine clinic distributing thousands of vaccine in the community, we all must continue to adhere to the highest safety and quality standards to protect ourselves and others,” states Dr. Michael Sullivan, Chief Medical Officer at Covenant HealthCare. “We cannot let our guard down. We need the community to help our healthcare workers and use common-sense rules to stop the spread of COVID-19. Limit gatherings, wear a mask, wash your hands, social distance, and get a vaccine when you are able.”
Starting April 1, all routine visitation will be suspended until the transmission of COVID-19 is no longer a threat to patients, staff, and community, Covenant stated.
“The decision to restrict visitors is difficult and was made only after careful consideration of infection control practices and recommendations from health experts,” Covenant said in a press release.
During crucial times, Covenant said only one healthy adult identified as a support person will be allowed per day.
• These necessary visitors are asked to stay in the patient room, limit the visitation duration, and follow necessary mask and social distancing requirements.
• Exceptions only apply if a visitor screens negative for symptoms of COVID-19.
• Covenant will not allow anyone under the age of 16 to visit the hospital except for extraordinary circumstances.
Exceptions to visitor restrictions include:
• Adult patients in the Emergency Care Center may be accompanied by one support person. Two healthy parents or guardians at a time are permitted for pediatric patients as space allows.
• Obstetric patients may have one birth support person accompany them.
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU): Both parents/guardians may accompany the patient, however, only one parent/guardian will be allowed in the NICU at a time. Additional details will be provided by the unit.
• Pediatric patients may have both parents/guardians accompany them, however, only one may spend the night.
• Critical Care: Patients in the critical care units may have one visitor who must remain in the room during the visit.
• Patients who are at the end-of-life may have a very limited number of visitors who must remain in the room during the visit.
• Patients with disruptive behavior, where a family member is key to their care, may have one visitor who must remain in the room during the visit.
• Patients who have altered mental status or developmental delays (where caregiver provides safety) may have one visitor who must stay in the room during the visit.
• Patients requiring a home caregiver to be trained must stay in the room during the visit.
• Adult patients undergoing surgery, or a procedure may have one visitor who must leave the medical center as soon as possible once the procedure/surgery begins. Contact information will be obtained from the support person and that person will be contacted to return to their loved one as recovery begins. Pediatric surgical patients may have two parents/guardians.
• Patients who have an appointment at Covenant HealthCare’s hospital-based clinics, laboratories, or radiology departments may have one support person if the patient has specific assistance requirements.
• Due to current State requirements, no visitors are allowed in the transitional care unit.
• No visitors will be allowed in rooms of patients with pending or positive COVID-19 tests unless their support is medically necessary.
• No other visitors will be allowed in the medical center at this time.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
