Mount Nittany Medical Center is once again restricting visitations as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise.
Beginning Wednesday, no visitors are permitted at the medical center except for special circumstances, including end of life, birth and special needs, according to an update on Mount Nittany Health’s website.
The policy is in place until further notice.
If needed, one caregiver may accompany patients to the emergency department, Mount Nittany Physician Group offices, Cancer Care Partnership and outpatient locations. Caregivers may be asked to wait in another location, such as their vehicles, depending on circumstances.
“We respect and understand the need for patients to have loved ones near to support the healing process, however, in this environment, it’s imperative that we limit the number of people in our facilities when possible,” the update said, “We strongly encourage everyone to utilize other means of communication. We are sensitive to the separation this restriction causes, but believe this measure of protection is essential and in the best interest of our providers, staff and patients.”
All individuals in Mount Nittany Health facilities are required to wear masks. The hospital also is now asking inpatients to wear masks when staff members enter the room.
For questions about visits at the medical center and emergency department, call (814)231-7000. For questions about accompanying patients to appointments at physician group practices, contact the office directly.
Visitation restrictions have been in place on and off over the past year and a half as part of the medical center’s pandemic response plan. In May, Mount Nittany began allowing one visitor per patient during limited visitation hours.
But the recent surge in cases locally and nationally, fueled by the more contagious Delta variant of the virus, has been followed by a steady increase in hospitalizations.
According to the Department of Health’s hospital preparedness dashboard, 21 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized in Centre County, the most since mid-May. In the last week, the county has added 147 cases of the virus, as many as it had for the month of July.
Centre County is at the substantial level for community transmission of COVID-19, the second highest on the Centers for Disease Control scale.
Mount Nittany already began responding to the latest surge two weeks ago, when it started rescheduling elective surgeries that require overnight admission.
“This step is essential to ensure that we are serving our COVID positive inpatients and those needing us for acute and surgical care,” Dr. Upendra Thaker, chief medical officer, said at the time.
Mount Nittany Health encouraged community members to get vaccinated and practice mitigation measures, including masking, physical-distancing and hand hygiene.
Vaccination appointments for ages 12 and older are available through Centre Volunteers in Medicine, Mount Nittany Health and through other pharmacies and providers listed at vaccines.gov.
