Hospitals In Newark Ban Most Visitors As Coronavirus Spreads

NEWARK, NJ — EDITOR'S NOTE: University Hospital updated their visitation policy on Tuesday. This article has been updated to reflect the changes.

As Newark grapples with its first positive case of the new coronavirus known as COVID-19, some local hospitals are telling most visitors to stay away to protect patients and staff.

As of Monday, Saint Michael's Medical Center and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark have tightened up their policies, effectively banning most visitors. University Hospital has also changed its visitor policy, allowing no more than one visitor per patient at a time.

UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

University Hospital has temporarily updated its visitor policies, a spokesperson told Patch on Tuesday.

According to the hospital:

"The safety and well-being of our patients, visitors, and staff is our number one priority. At this time, no visitors will be allowed at University Hospital. Limited exceptions may be permitted in the following circumstances and are subject to change: Emergency Department (1 visitor), Labor and Delivery including Postpartum (1 visitor), Pediatrics (1 visitor), Ambulatory Care Center and Same Day Surgery Center (1 visitor), Palliative Care (1 visitor), Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (2 parents or support persons)."

Administrators say that the medical center has been making COVID-19 preparations, such as:

• Screening signs & Respiratory Hygiene Stations are available at all public entrances to University Hospital, which enables visitors and patients to review the symptoms of COVID-19 and easily access face masks if they are feeling ill.
• The Emergency Department is fully prepared and has been screening patients suspected of having COVID-19.
• Hospital personnel have participated in mock Novel Coronavirus patient exercises to test our processes.

SAINT MICHAEL’S

At Saint Michael's, the only visitors allowed are:

• Patients undergoing same-day surgery at the hospital (one support person allowed)
• Situations of end-of-life care or if requested by the physician as essential in the delivery of care. (in these exceptional situations, visitors will be required to undergo screening regarding their health status and risk of exposure to coronavirus)

“With the increasing number of people in New Jersey testing positive for the virus, we feel this is the most prudent course of action to protect our patients and staff,” said Claudia Komer, a chief medical officer at Saint Michael’s. “Our highest priority is patient safety and we will adjust this policy as COVID-19 concerns change and as recommended by public health authorities.”

Last week, Saint Michael’s closed the entrances on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and its outpatient entrance. Visitors should enter the building at the main entrance or Central Avenue entrance. The Emergency Department entrance on Central Avenue remains open for patients seeking emergency care.

Phone and video calls to patients are welcomed and encouraged. Family members can also call 973-877-5000 and the operator will transfer the call to the patient, hospital administrators said.

NEWARK BETH ISRAEL

The RWJ Barnabas Health network has suspended visitation until further notice at all of its hospitals and health care facilities, including Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, administrators recently announced.

There are some limited exceptions to the policy, and no one younger than 18 will be permitted to visit, hospital officials said.

Any visitors allowed under limited circumstances will be screened for COVID-19 before they are allowed into the facility.

Exceptions to the visitor policy may be made in these circumstances:

• Pediatric units (only ONE parent/guardian will be permitted)
• Maternity and labor & delivery units (only ONE significant other/support person can visit)
• Neonatal intensive care units (TWO parents/support persons can visit)
• Same-day surgery or ambulatory procedures (only ONE person can visit)
• Pediatric psychiatric patients (only ONE if/when a mutual agreement between the care team and the parents/guardian has been reached)
• Extenuating circumstances (such as hospice) will also be considered based on the best interest and needs of the individual patient.
• Emergency Department patients may be accompanied by ONE adult.
• Outpatients may be accompanied by ONE adult (unless an aide or assistant is required).

Approved visitors will be screened for the following and may not be allowed to visit or stay based on:

• Recent international travel history
• Recent domestic travel to areas with widespread COVID-19 infection
• Contact with individuals with known COVID-19
• Cold or flu-like symptoms

All visitors should wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer before and after visiting, administrators said.

CORONAVIRUS IN NEW JERSEY, NATIONWIDE

The number of people with the coronavirus in New Jersey had risen to 98 as of Sunday. Authorities said two people have died. READ MORE: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

Gov. Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency, schools across the state have begun to close, and local governments and community organizations have launched their own efforts to protect residents from the virus.

State health officials say it is critical that older adults and individuals with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, lung disease and heart disease lower their risk of exposure.

“We certainly understand the public’s concerns about testing availability, and we are working with the county executives to set up testing options for our residents,” Commissioner of Health Judith Persichilli said Sunday.

“I know all the actions being taken can cause concern, but that is all part of the public health response to reduce the impact on our state,” Persichilli said. “As I said yesterday, we can expect cases in communities across the state to increase. We are now in 13 of 21 counties, and yes, our lives will change as a result of this novel coronavirus. Our lives will change as we work together to protect our state. I continue to ask anyone who does not feel well to stay home and call your healthcare provider if necessary.”

There have been more than 3,700 confirmed U.S. cases of the new coronavirus as of Monday morning according to Johns Hopkins University, which says the disease also has killed 69 people nationwide.

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WHAT IS COVID-19?

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. You should only wear a mask if a health care professional recommends it. A face mask should be used by people who have COVID-19 and are showing symptoms. This is to protect others from the risk of getting infected. The use of face masks also is crucial for health workers and other people who are taking care of someone infected with COVID-19 in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

Residents who have questions about the virus can contact the State of New Jersey's hotline at 1 (800) 222-1222. The hotline is home of the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, and is staffed 24 hours a day by state health workers.

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