DRH Imposes Visitor Changes; Releases COVID-19 Info

Duncan Regional Hospital has made temporary changes to visitor policies and the facility’s COVID-19 Preparedness Task Force recently presented information to the public regarding the preparation and continued monitoring for COVID-19 in the communities DRH serves.

Beginning Monday, March 16, DRH began pre-screening visitors at all three main hospital entrances. The operational changes, according to a press release, include:

1. Every visitor will be pre-screened with a series of questions about potential symptoms and travel history per the Centers for Disease Control recommendations. Anyone that fails the pre-screen will be asked to return home.

2. No person will be allowed to DRH Café or Chick-Fil-A only. Please visit other restaurants in town for the time being.

3. DRH Gift Shop is temporarily closed.

4. Visiting hours and visitor limits are being strictly enforced. Visiting hours are 7am – 6pm only.

5. We continue to strongly discourage visitors that fall into the CDC High Risk category for contracting the virus. High Risk includes older adults, anyone with a history of auto-immune disease, heart disease, diabetes, lung disease or other chronic respiratory diseases.

“While we realize that some may consider these precautions and strict rules extreme,” the release continues, “We believe they are necessary to maintain the safest operational environment to care for our friends and family in need.”

The COVID-19 Preparedness Task Force met on Friday to discuss how the community can prepare for COVID-19 as well as clarify some varying information that has been presented elsewhere, and they released a statement to the public. Members of the Task Force are Nathan Elfrink, MD (Radiology); Michael Hemphill, MD (Pulmonology and Critical Care); F. James McGouran, MD (Family Medicine); James Peterson, DO (Emergency Medicine); William Steward, MD (Family Medicine); and Krystal Vonfeldt, DO (Family Medicine).

The Task Force’s statement pointed out that there are two issues with this virus that are different from other “bugs.” First, this version of the virus is unique and spreads quickly, and “has the potential to stick around for a while.” Second, the length of the time that patients are sick creates a strain on the healthcare system. “As an example, the average person admitted to the hospital stays for 3-5 days,” the Task Force statement reads. “COVID-19 patients are staying in the hospital for up to 21 days or more.”

The increased length of time that patients are admitted puts strain on hospital equipment, supplies, and staff. The Task Force encourages everyone to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, especially to those who are at high risk of contracting the virus.

The Task Force also laid out steps to prevent putting others at risk:

1. Avoid close contact with other people that are sick and if you are sick...stay home

2. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

3. If soap is not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Soap is best.

4. Because droplets spread COVID-19, please wash your hands immediately after touching ANY public surfaces like shopping carts, business counters, doors, pens to pay a check, gas pumps, ATMs, etc. Or, better yet, avoid as many public surfaces as possible.

5. Avoid touching your face, nose, eyes, and chin.

6. Routinely clean and disinfect surfaces at home like tables, door handles, and light switches

7. Avoid crowds, especially in poorly ventilated buildings or rooms.

8. Avoid all non-essential travel.

9. Finally, at night, everyone should wash your hands, then your face with soap and water concentrating on the areas around your nostrils, at the edges of your nostrils, around the base of your nose, and the top of your lips. Doing so helps eliminate anything that might be trapped there from your daily life.

The Task Force statement also says, “However, we cannot protect everyone from getting the virus. If you do get sick and think you have been exposed, please call your physician and discuss your symptoms before just going to the clinic.

“If you are urgently sick (extreme shortness of breath, pain or pressure in your chest that won’t go away, bluish lips or face, etc.) go to an emergency room immediately.”