Surge in COVID cases forces SC’s largest hospital system to limit visitors
South Carolina’s largest health care system is changing its visitation policies in response to the increasing rate of COVID-19 infections.
Prisma Health is limiting visitors, and has requirements in place for anyone going to any of its facilities across the state, including several in the Columbia area.
The changes went into effect Monday, according to a news release from Prisma Health officials.
Adult inpatients, outpatients, and ambulatory pediatric patients will now be limited to one visitor, according to the release.
“This measure is essential in the wake of a new surge of hospitalized patients who are very sick with COVID-19. Given the rapid community spread of the Delta variant, the trend is very concerning,” Prisma Health’s COVID-19 response leader Dr. Rick Scott said in the release. “Between July 7 and August 5 the number of COVID-19 inpatients has risen from 20 to 208 across the Prisma Health system.”
In addition, Prisma Health officials said all visitors must continue to:
▪ Wear a mask covering their nose and mouth (no gaiters or vented masks)
▪ Be screened upon entry, and anyone with possible COVID-19 symptoms cannot visit
▪ Stay with the patient (not go to the cafeteria, gift shop, etc.)
▪ On occasion, visitors should remain with a patient with special needs, and they should secure approval of the attending doctor and administrator for exceptions
Additionally, Prisma Health officials said people over age 65 and those with chronic illnesses who are not vaccinated should refrain from visiting.
Prisma Health officials are urging all South Carolina residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Fewer than half of South Carolinians are fully vaccinated,” Scott said. “To turn this around, getting vaccinated is everyone’s best protection and we must work together to prevent infection with masking, hand hygiene and social distancing.”
For more information on the current guidelines for all Prisma Health locations, go to the health care system’s visitor restrictions.
Prisma Health was formed in November 2017 after Midlands-based Palmetto Health and the Greenville Health System merged to create the largest health system in South Carolina with 18 hospitals. Its hospitals include Richland, Baptist, Baptist Parkridge in the Columbia area and Tuomey in Sumter.
Monday is also the same day that Lexington Medical Center enacted its new COVID-19 visitation policies. Lexington Medical Center officials said only one visitor will be allowed to visit a non-COVID patient in the hospital’s emergency room and urgent care centers. If the lobby reaches capacity, visitors won’t be allowed to stay with patients.
Visitors to Lexington Medical Center must stay in the patient’s exam room at all times and may help settle the patient into his or her inpatient room if admitted. For non-COVID-19 inpatients, only one visitor will be allowed to see a patient per day between the hours of 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. and must enter through the main entrance or south entrance.
The U.S. is experiencing a third wave of COVID cases during the pandemic because of the highly-contagious delta variant.
South Carolina has seen more than 630,000 (confirmed and probable) cases of the coronavirus and 9,950 deaths since the start of the pandemic. With 45% of the state’s population fully vaccinated, health officials are urging people to get the COVID vaccine to help limit the spread of the virus and to protect themselves.
Hospitals across the state report that a total of 8,741 inpatient beds are currently being used and are at 77.5% capacity, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. Another 71.5% of the ICU beds are being used, nearly 27% of which are being taken up by COVID-19 patients.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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This story was originally published August 9, 2021 at 9:45 AM.
