Cuomo lifts ban on hospital visits
Hospitals in New York state, which have been closed to visitors throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, can now allow them at their discretion, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday.
Hospitals must follow state guidelines, which include time limits on visits and requiring visitors to wear protective gear, Cuomo said at his daily press briefing. Visitors also will be subject to checks of their temperatures and any COVID-19 symptoms.
“Obviously we need to be careful,” the governor said.
Cuomo pointed to signs that the coronavirus is no longer spreading at an overwhelming pace in
New York state, which had a peak of nearly 800 deaths per day in early April among people who tested positive for COVID-19.
Cuomo said 25 individuals who tested positive for COVID died Monday in hospitals and nursing homes in the state.
Nursing homes, which have been particularly hard hit by COVID-19, cannot yet resume visits, Cuomo said.
Westchester Medical Center Health Network — which operates the two HealthAlliance hospital campuses in Kingston, MidHudson Regional Hospital in Poughkeepsie and Margaretville Memorial Hospital in Delaware County — said in a prepared statement Tuesday that it is “working with New York state and the Department of Health on updated recommendations regarding hospital visitation in alignment with all state guidelines to ensure the safety of our patients, their caregivers and our workforce members.”
WMCHealth said an updated policy for HealthAlliance visits will be posted online at HAHV.org.
Nuvance Health — which operates Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck, Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie and Putnam Hospital Center in Carmel — plans to start allowing visitors “soon,” Stephen Meth, chief experience officer for the company, said in a statement Tuesday.
“The ability of people close to patients to visit them in the hospital is an important aspect of the healing process, and we are grateful to be given the go-ahead to allow for the safe return of family and friends to our three New York hospitals,” Meth said.
Meth said information about visitation will be posted on Nuvance’s website, nuvancehealth.org.
The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients statewide continued to decline Monday, to roughly 1,500 Monday, and fewer than 2% of people who are getting tested for COVID-19 each day are testing positive, the governor said.
“You want to talk about congratulations and something to celebrate, that is something to celebrate,” Cuomo said.
The governor also announced the U.S. Open will be played in Queens from Aug. 31 to Sept. 13, but without fans in attendance.
Cuomo said the Capitol Region will enter Phase 3 of the reopening process Wednesday.
The Mid-Hudson Region is in Phase 2 and is expected to move to Phase 3 on June 23.
Phase 3 allows indoor restaurant dining and, among other things, the operation of spas, nail salons, tattoo and piercing businesses, and tanning salons. Also, Cuomo announced Monday that groups of up to 25 people are now allowed to gather in Phase 3 areas, up from the previous limit of 10.
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