Hosps axing visits, even for close kin

New York City’s hospitals have suspended visitations — and some are even banning the partners of women in labor — as the facilities grapple with the health care system’s ability to treat patients with the highly contagious and fast spreading coronavirus.

“With our focus on the best interests of our new mothers and children, we have made the decision not to permit visitors, including birthing partners and support persons, for our obstetric patients,” a statement issued Sunday by New York-Presbyterian Hospital said.

“We understand that this will be difficult for our patients and their loved ones, but we believe that this is a necessary step to promote patient safety.”

NYC Health + Hospitals and Mount Sinai hospitals are making limited exceptions for healthy visitors and caregivers to visit patients in pediatric and neonatal intensive care, maternity wards, and end-oflife patients. Some exceptions will also be made for legal representatives of dying patients.

Visitors won’t be allowed if they are found to be sick during a screening process.

As of Sunday morning, there were 2,832 new cases of the virus in New York City — with 4,812 in the state overall, according to Gov. Cuomo.

The governor said hospitals in New York State will need to increase their capacity by 100% by whatever means necessary to ensure every COVID-19 patient can receive adequate medical care, and he pledged his support to temporarily convert the Javits Center in Manhattan into a makeshift hospital.