Sparrow Health to limit visitor access due to COVID-19 uptick
Only one visitor will be allowed per patient each day
LANSING, Mich. – Sparrow Health System will begin limiting patient visitors starting Tuesday (Jan. 11), due to growing COVID-19 numbers in Michigan and the highly contagious nature of the omicron variant, which is moving quickly through the state.
According to Sparrow, it will limit the number of visitors to protect patients and staff, plus decrease the chance of spreading the virus more. Right now, Sparrow is dealing with a record high number of COVID-19 positive patients and caregivers.
Last week, Sparrow reported that hundreds of its workers were out due to testing positive for the virus.
“As COVID cases continue to rise, we must remain vigilant against the spread of the virus,” Sparrow Health System said in a statement last week. “Practice safe social distancing, wear a face mask when appropriate, wash your hands frequently, and get the COVID vaccine.”
“Frankly, we are very concerned about what is going to come in the days ahead, typically we see increases in patients and hospitalizations after holidays, and we are bracing for one of the bleakest months yet we have faced throughout this pandemic,” Dr. Adnan Munkarah, Henry Ford’s executive vice president and chief clinical officer, added during a press conference last week.
Here are the new guidelines that start on Tuesday (Jan. 11):
- Only one visitor will be allowed per patient each day. Patients or someone representing them will need to make arrangements to follow the new guidelines.
- Patients in pediatrics and women’s services areas are allowed two visitors during their stay.
- Patients in the emergency department are allowed to have one visitor once when they get their room.
- Comfort care/end-of-life patients will have guidelines determined on a case-by-case basis.
- Sparrow plans on monitoring numbers and adjusting these restrictions based off of case numbers and safety
In addition to the change in the visitor policy, all visitors must also properly wear face masks at all Sparrow locations.
