Last Thursday, Dec. 9, Rutland Regional Medical Center began restricting visitors in order to protect patients from rising Covid cases in the community. Adult inpatients will not be allowed to have visitors; a few patients, such as mothers in labor, will be allowed one designated essential support person per patient for the duration of the patient’s stay.
“Restricting visitation is an important tool in protecting our patients from Covid while they are in the hospital,” said Claudio Fort, the hospital’s president and CEO. “It’s not a decision we take lightly because we know that limiting visitors is hard on patients and their families. At this moment, though, Covid poses too great a risk to our patients.”
In addition to restricting patient visitation, the hospital also is restricting the use of its food court to staff and patients and their support persons.
Fort said that hospital leaders are uncertain when the policy will be relaxed, but expect it to remain in place through the holidays.
“The overarching theme is protecting our patients,” Fort added. “As a hospital this is our number one priority, so as long as Covid remains at high levels in our community, we expect to maintain this level of protection.”
Fort added that community members can help reduce the level of Covid-19 in the community by taking simple precautions such as getting the Covid-19 vaccine and a booster, wearing a mask when indoors, and limiting gatherings during holidays.
“We know what strategies work to contain Covid: vaccinations, masking, and social distancing,” he said. “We just have to buckle down and do them again.”
