An area hospital has updated its visitor policy in the wake of an uptick in positive COVID-19 cases.
According to minutes from the Pettis County COVID-19 Task Force meeting on Monday, July 12, effective immediately, visitor access to Bothwell Regional Health Center in Sedalia is limited to only the front entrance or the Emergency Department, and all visitors through the front entrance will need to check in with Security. Security also is monitoring each entrance for proper mask-wearing and numbers of visitors per patient.
Hospital officials are limiting entry points into the hospital due to the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 to further protect all of its patients and employees.
• Bothwell allows two visitors over the age of 16 at a time per patient between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for general hospital units. No visitors will be allowed for patients who are COVID-19 positive or awaiting test results. Exceptions are made for end-of-life, special circumstances and patients who are children. One visitor is allowed at a time per patient in the Emergency Department (ED) and surgical areas (same day surgery, general surgery and labor and delivery). Women’s Health and Newborn Care allows two visitors per mother/baby unit at a time once in postpartum rooms. Due to available ED lobby space- and to maintain proper social distancing- additional visitors to the ED are asked to remain in their cars. The Bothwell Cafeteria is open to visitors during select hours.
• People should not visit the hospital if they are feeling ill. Symptoms for the Delta variant of the virus include runny nose, sore throat, diarrhea and brain fog. A high temperature is not among the top 10 list of symptoms for this particular variant, which is why the hospital is no longer taking visitor temperatures. The virus is not transmitted by touch, but by the transfer of respiratory droplets, and that is why proper mask-wearing is the No. 1 protocol that will be strictly enforced in public areas and when employees are providing care in the hospital and clinics.
COVID Protocols
• Bothwell will again test all patients for COVID-19 upon hospital admission. Patients will be placed in isolation and considered positive until test results are determined.
Hospital officials add, “We have also reinstated the protocol that all surgical patients will be tested for COVID-19 regardless of their vaccination status. These changes are due to the rising number of positive COVID-19 cases in our community and the number of patients who are currently hospitalized with the virus.”
• Masks are still required for all visitors at the hospital and in clinics as Bothwell is following all regulatory guidance. At the hospital, when a patient and his or her visitors are all fully vaccinated, they may choose to have close contact (including touch) and not wear masks when alone in a patient room or designated visitation room. In clinics, masks may be removed in exam rooms when patients have provided documentation they are fully vaccinated, and when providers and/or staff are fully vaccinated. Hospital visitors and clinic patients must continue to wear masks and physically distance from other healthcare personnel and others not part of their group at all other times while in facilities.