‘Zero visitation’ policy in place at Midlands hospital as COVID cases surge
A Midlands hospital instituted a “zero visitation” policy as cases of COVID-19 increase across South Carolina.
MUSC Health Kershaw Medical Center, formerly KershawHealth in Camden, has put the policy in place that allows very few patients to have visitors.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we are implementing a ZERO VISITATION policy,” MUSC officials said on the Kershaw County hospital’s Facebook page.
Under the new guidelines, the only patients allowed visitors are “children, those with reduced mental capacity, and beginning or end of life,” according to the Facebook post.
Both Lexington Medical Center and Prisma Health, which has four hospitals in the Midlands, have also changed visitation rules, limiting who has access to the medical facilities.
Adult inpatients, outpatients, and ambulatory pediatric patients will now be limited to one visitor at all Prisma Health hospitals across South Carolina.
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.
The changes have already been put into effect at the Prisma Health hospitals, Lexington Medical Center, and MUSC Health Kershaw Medical Center.
“We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we continue to care for our patients, care team members and community,” MUSC officials said.
On Wednesday, there were 15 new fatalities reported by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, and the state now has 10,007 (confirmed and probable) COVID-19 deaths.
South Carolina has seen more than 650,000 cases of the coronavirus 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.
“Although one month ago it looked like the pandemic was improving, the arrival of the delta variant has created a surge in new cases and deaths that we have to take seriously,” DHEC Director Dr. Edward Simmer said in a news release. “Until we reach a critical percentage of South Carolinians vaccinated that can stifle COVID-19’s spread, we are not out of danger. And the longer that takes, the more time the virus has to mutate into new, harder-to-control variants.”
Kershaw County School District announced at least 116 students and 20 staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus in the first week since schools reopened.
So far, 570 students — 5% of the total student population — and nine employees have been forced to quarantine after coming in contact with someone who tested positive for the virus.
Since the pandemic started, DHEC confirmed 6,565 cases of COVID-19 and 118 deaths in Kershaw County. Another 2,039 cases and 27 deaths in Kershaw County are considered probable, according to health officials.
On Thursday, DHEC reported 3,155 new cases of coronavirus in South Carolina, the 11th consecutive day that at least 2,000 new positive tests have been reported.
Hospitals across the state report that a total of 8,920 inpatient beds are currently being used, which is 78.6% of capacity, according to DHEC. Another 77.2% of the ICU beds are being used, 27% of which are being taken up by COVID-19 patients.
MUSC recently rebranded the Kershaw County hospital after it bought several Midlands medical facilities. That purchase included two Providence Health hospitals in Columbia and another facility in Fairfield County. They have been renamed MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown, MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Northeast, and MUSC Health Fairfield Emergency and Imaging, respectively.
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This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 12:17 PM.
