Marion General Hospital Administrator Alania Cedillo says things are starting to pick up as Mississippi works toward reopening from the coronavirus pandemic.
One sign of re-emergence is that the Columbia facility is allowing visitors again as of June 1 under certain conditions after being restricted since March 17.
Anyone entering will receive a health screening, including a temperature check, and must wear a mask. If anyone has symptoms consistent with COVID-19, they will not be allowed entrance, according to the new policy.
At this point Cedillo said there still haven’t been a lot of COVID-19 cases treated at Marion General, but more of the normal conditions they usually see are returning. She said there was about a two-month span when they did not have that many patients.
“I think for a while people were scared of catching virus,” she said on why there was a decrease.
The hospital, like a lot of businesses, had a downtime while the shelter-in-place order was in effect, but Cedillo said it was too soon to tell how much of an economic impact it is going to have.
Overall she said the hospital, which is part of the Forrest General system, is prepared and ready to settle into a “new normal.” Thankfully she said the hospital has not been overwhelmed as was originally feared in the beginning of the pandemic. As more people become more active and out more now that the state is reopened, Cedillo believes it will once again get busy.
Patients with the coronavirus are still not allowed visitors. Exceptions to the rule include if the patient is a minor, a parent may stay with the child; adults with dementia or similar illnesses may have someone with them; and exceptions may be made in end-of-life or special circumstances. The administrator or director of nursing must approve any exceptions.
For inpatients who do not have the virus, one visitor is allowed. Also one visitor is allowed for ancillary outpatient testing and for the emergency department. If the patient in the ER is a minor, two visitors are allowed so the parents can be with the child. Again, exceptions may be applied in special circumstances including end-of-life and other situations, pending approval from an administrator.
The hospital’s extended care facility remains closed to visitors.
