by Geoff Fox
As COVID numbers continue to improve, Meritus Health has eased visitor restrictions by moving to Green visitation status. The change went into effect last week.
The Green visitation status allows visitors for adult and pediatric inpatients 27/7 at Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown and at Meritus Health’s outpatient services and practices, surgery centers and the John R. Marsh Cancer Center.
Positive adult COVID patients may receive visitors seven days a week between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
These visits must be coordinated with the patient’s care team ahead of time. Those visitors must sign a waiver stating they understand the risks of visitation; must wear personal protective equipment provided by the hospital; and must follow all staff directions while at the hospital to ensure care to the patient is not disrupted and healing is not disturbed.
All visitors will continue to be screened for COVID and/or flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cough or shortness of breath and will not be able to stay if symptomatic.
Face masks are still required to enter any Meritus Health facility and must be worn at all times.
As COVID numbers improve, Meritus Health is looking at ways in the coming weeks to consider changing needs in the community and how that may affect its response moving forward.
The health system’s website, meritushealth.com will be regularly updated on vaccination clinic hours, testing sites and options and other COVID-19 news as changes occur and the public is encouraged to check the site regularly.
Full details on Green visitation status are available on https://www.meritushealth.com/patients-visitors/visitor-information/visitation-level-green/
