WTEN: Local Hospitals Place Restrictions on Visitors

Steven Hanks, M.D., chief clinical officer for St. Peter’s Health Partners, was interviewed by WTEN/News10 concerning new visitor restrictions instituted at SPHP acute care facilities. The restrictions were implemented on November 7 in response to an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations.

From the story:

Due to an increase in coronavirus cases, there are now new visitation policies in place at local hospitals.

Starting at 6 am on Tuesday, visitors will be restricted at Ellis Hospital. This will be the second hospital organization in the Capital Region to once again enact this protocol. This past weekend, St. Peter’s Health Partners also started restricting visitors.

“As of this morning, we have had 56 COVID positive inpatients. That represents about a 600% increase over the last five weeks,” explained Dr. Steven Hanks, Chief Clinical Officer for St. Peter’s Health Partners.

According to Dr. Hanks, for an unknown reason, St. Peter’s Health Partners has seen more of an increase In COVID-19 hospitalizations than any other hospital organization in the region. This prompting new visitation protocols to be put in place.

“No visitation with the exception of exemptions for things like pediatric cases, women in labor, people at end of life, for patients who have a mental health need where they do need accompaniment,” explained Dr. Hanks.

Click here to watch WTEN’s report.