PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — COVID-19 cases continue to skyrocket across our region, with the effect trickling down to area hospitals.
At Main Line Health, senior officials have decided to pause elective surgeries for two weeks and update their visitation policy.
"There's definitely a deja vu feeling to where we were before," said Dr. Jon Stallkamp, Chief Medical Officer at Main Line Health.
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The recent surge in COVID-19 cases has more people visiting their emergency rooms, but Dr. Stallkamp said the pandemic isn't the sole reason behind additional patients.
"This time of year we see a lot of sick people in general, just from other things like heart failure or emphysema," says Dr. Stallkamp.
"Those people are still coming in and we have the ability to care for them. But we have, now, a large number of COVID patients."
He said about 70% of the COVID-19 patients they see are unvaccinated.
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But those positive patients sick enough to be in the hospital have combined with a high amount of staff testing positive.
Those factors were enough to make some changes at their four acute care hospitals; Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital, and Riddle Hospital, according to a spokesperson.
"Even though they are vaccinated, they're not as sick and they don't need to be hospitalized," says Dr. Stallkamp. "But we can't have them working with patients."
Emergencies and time-sensitive procedures and surgeries will continue. But for now, elective surgeries are halted for at least two weeks.
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This is to help reassign staff members, be ready for any additional staffers who may test positive for COVID-19, and to make room for more COVID-19 patients expected during this surge.
"We're going to continue to look at this on a weekly basis," says Dr. Stallkamp. "If we have to extend it, we will. We're really hoping we're not, and we can get everybody back.
As for visitors, Main Line Health updated its policy on Christmas Day. Some of the changes include visitors using a mask at all times and using public restrooms. Additionally, each inpatient can have one approved visitor per day, and most emergency department patients cannot have an additional person with them, aside from a few exceptions.
Dr. Stallkamp added that if you are in need of a COVID-19 test, avoid visiting emergency departments. Instead, he suggested contacting your primary care physician, urgent care, or finding a testing site near you.
