Two more area healthcare facilities have announced visitor restrictions in their efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the new coronavirus. Thursday afternoon, Audubon County Memorial Hospitals and Clinics in Audubon and Stewart Memorial Community Hospital in Lake City enacted the temporary limitations. Audubon County Memorial Hospital will allow only primary caregivers of the patient who are 18 years and older to visit. These include parents and stepparents, spouses or significant others and other defined caregivers only. All visitors must be screened by nursing staff at least one time per day and the visitor must be free from illnesses, such as a sore throat, cough, fever, diarrhea, vomiting or a runny nose. Visitors will also be required to remain in patient rooms as appropriate, limit movement within the facility and wash their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer upon entering or exiting the patient’s room. Stewart Memorial will allow only two adult visitors per patient at one time who are 18 or older. Those under 18 may visit only if they are an immediate family member and are considered by the patient’s health care team to be essential to the patient’s well-being. All visitors must be healthy and those exhibiting any signs of illness will not be permitted. Just as with Audubon, visitors must wash with soap and water or sanitizer when entering or exiting patient rooms. “Our main concern is to protect patients and staff from the spread of communicable diseases,” says Stewart Memorial CEO, Cindy Carstens. “We are seeing high rates of influenza and are closely monitoring the Covid-19 pandemic. The best defense is through hand-washing and limiting social interaction.” Audubon Community Hospital will also be closing their fitness center today and until further notice. More information on closures and visitation restrictions across the area can be found on the Coronavirus Notices page at carrollbroadcasting.com.
