(WWJ) As the number of COVID-19 patients continues to rise in local hospitals, Beaumont Health is stepping up its care and vaccination efforts — and announcing new visitor restrictions.
While Beaumont has been experiencing a “major surge in COVID-19 patients” in recent weeks, hospitals within the network will now allow fully vaccinated individuals to visit their loved ones who are hospitalized with issues other than COVID-19, according to a press release on Wednesday.
Only visitors who have received full doses of the COVID-19 vaccination at least two weeks prior will be admitted. Proof of vaccination will be required, meaning a completed, official Vaccination Record Card and photo identification. Officials noted that a photo of an official vaccination card is acceptable.
Those who are vaccinated, but do not have a vaccination card, should request one from their vaccination site. If that is not an option, each state health department keeps a record of immunizations, including the Michigan Care Improvement Registry at www.mcir.org. Vaccine providers are required to provide a record of a vaccination to their state’s immunization system within 72 hours.
Beaumont says “recognizing the importance of support for hospitalized patients and the effectiveness of vaccines, fully vaccinated visitors – one person per day – are encouraged and welcomed at the bedside of patients who do not have or not suspected of having COVID-19.”
The policy went into effect Wednesday.
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“We know that we’re one of the first health care systems allowing vaccinated visitors,” president and CEO of Beaumont Health John Fox said in a statement. “But we recognize that patients recuperate better when they have someone dear to them nearby. So, we are working hard to balance safety with compassionate family support as we lead the way through the pandemic.”
Officials say the number of COVID-19-positive or suspected positive inpatients at Beaumont hospitals has more than tripled since Feb. 28, jumping from 128 on that date to now more than 500. That is more than double the number of COVID-19 patients being treated at any other hospital system in Michigan, according to Michigan Department of Health and Human Services data.
The recent spike in numbers has led to Beaumont implementing a number of new measures including expanding COVID-19 units at all hospital sites, as well as the new visitor restrictions.
“As we experience Michigan’s third COVID-19 surge, the Beaumont Health team will use everything we have learned while treating the most COVID-19 patients in Michigan to again provide the best care possible,” Fox said. “Please continue to wear your mask, wash your hands, avoid large gatherings and practice social distancing while we work together to respond to the latest surge. Vaccinations are helping, but we are not there yet. We need to stay vigilant to protect our families, friends and communities. For now, the virus is moving faster than the vaccinations.”
Dr. Nick Gilpin, medical director of Infection Prevention and Epidemiology for Beaumont, says officials are continuing to monitor the numbers “very, very closely” and are instituting changes from the Incident Command Centers to provide care for their patients.
Beaumont officials say all of their hospitals are safe and remain open to all patients needing health care including emergency visits, testing and surgery. Patients should continue to go to any Beaumont Emergency Department for medical issues that need urgent attention. Infections are growing in the community and not in hospitals, officials said.
As of Tuesday, Beaumont Health has provided more than 210,000 vaccinations to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a press release. The health system continues to operate vaccine clinics at Beaumont hospitals in Dearborn and Troy, as well as the Beaumont Service Center in Southfield.
For those vaccinated outside Michigan, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a central list of state Immunization and Information Systems, or ISS, at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/iis/contacts-locate-records.html#state.