Mount Nittany Medical Center changed its visitation policy. Here’s what to know
No visitors for hospitalized patients at Mount Nittany Medical Center will be permitted as of Saturday because of the continued spread of the coronavirus, the health care system said Friday.
There are a limited amount of circumstances where exceptions will be allowed.
Patients of the emergency department may be accompanied by a caregiver as long as they are not suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19. Caregivers for patients of the women and children’s services department are also permitted.
The health system did not announce how long the new restrictions would continue. Adjustments are expected to be made “as needed,” the organization wrote.
“We are sensitive to the separation this restriction creates for our patients and families, but we strongly believe continuing to limit the number of people in our facilities is essential to keeping our patients and staff safe,” Mount Nittany wrote. “We encourage the use of other forms of support, like phone calls and video chats, when possible.”
The health system foreshadowed the move Tuesday, when the hospital said it treated the largest number of patients since before the pandemic and the highest total of COVID-19 patients in seven weeks.
The situation has only moderately improved since then. The hospital treated 25 patients Friday for COVID-19, down four from Tuesday.