Beaumont Health restricts visitors as COVID cases surge in Michigan
Sarah RahalBeaumont Health is adjusting its visitor policy as Michigan continues to battle its fourth surge of COVID-19.
Rising positivity rates and the highly contagious omicron variant have led the state's largest hospital system to limit the number of visitors for patients again.
Starting 8 a.m. Friday, Beaumont's eight hospitals will allow only one support person each day, regardless of vaccination status for patients who do not have or are not suspected of having COVID-19.
Under the new guidelines, the support person cannot alternate with other people throughout the day without receiving prior approval from clinical leadership. This includes postpartum patients, the hospital system said.
Beaumont emergency center patients are allowed one support person to stay with them until the patient is in the evaluation and treatment process. However, if a support person is unable to stay due to facility constraints, the support person must return to their vehicle and will be provided a phone number to call and check on the patient’s status. Once a support person joins a patient in their room, they must stay in the room for the duration of the visit.
Masks that cover the nose and mouth must be worn at all times by everyone. Each visitor also will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms before entering the building. Every visitor also must be free of COVID-19 symptoms and cannot be waiting for COVID-19 test results, the hospital system said.
After a visit is complete, the support person must leave the hospital and cannot remain in waiting areas, public areas or cafeterias.
No one is allowed in rooms of patients with pending or positive COVID-19 tests except for individuals who are approaching the end of life, patients 21 years of age and under, women in labor, or other extreme circumstances where the benefits of presence outweigh the risk of COVID-19 exposure.
The policy change comes as Michigan reported a daily record number of COVID-19 cases on Wednesday with 25,858 reported over two days. The state's largest counties, clustered in Metro Detroit, are seeing the highest rates of infections.
srahal@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @SarahRahal_