Local care centers enforce visitor restrictions as coronavirus concerns grow

(KEYC) — A handful of local care centers in southern Minnesota are asking visitors to remain home, some even placing their centers on lockdown, as the coronavirus continues to spread.

Those that are discouraging visitation include Hillcrest Rehabilitation Center in Mankato, St. Luke’s Lutheran Care Center in Blue Earth and the New Richland Care Center.

Oak Hills Living Center in New Ulm is restricting all visitors and has locked all of its doors, restricting access to the building to only essential personnel.

While all four facilities don’t have any confirmed cases of the coronavirus, they’re taking the recommendation from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention.

The St. Luke’s and New Richland care centers say they are actively screening all individuals, including staff who need to enter their buildings.

Hillcrest is asking anyone who may have signs of illness or has traveled internationally within the last 14 days to refrain from visiting.

Windom Area Health announced a new set of guidelines on Tuesday to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus in its communities.

The new measures being implemented include:

• Effective at 8 a.m. on Thursday, March 19, Windom Area Health will be limiting inpatient visitors and visitors that accompany outpatients. One adult who is an immediate family member or designated caregiver will be allowed to visit per day for inpatients. This individual is allowed to visit up to two times per day. This may be a different family member/caregiver each day;
• Also effective at 8 a.m. on Thursday, March 19, the cafeteria will be closed to the public, with food preparations transitioning to being for patients and staff only;
• Windom Area Health will be limiting entry points to its main entrance this week. Staff is still working on the logistics and timing of this change, but they say it will include a screening process. Additional information will be made available when the final details have been worked out;
• Effective immediately, the Windom Area Health Wellness Center will be closed and all related classes are canceled through March 27; and
• Events through the next month, at least, are canceled. These include the Healthy Together class, Student/Parent Tours and Easter Eggstravaganza. Childbirth classes will continue as scheduled.

Madelia Community Hospital & Clinic introduced visitor restrictions to its facilities on Thursday, March 12.

These restrictions are as follows:

• Only immediate family members (patient’s spouse or significant other, parent, sibling or child) will be permitted;
• No children under the age of 12 are allowed to visit;
• Only two visitors may visit a patient at the same time; and
• Nobody who is ill is permitted to visit.

Staff says that these restrictions apply to all patients in all areas of the hospital, including staff members.

United Hospital District in Blue Earth announced Tuesday that visitors will not be allowed until further notice.

The change will be implemented at all UHD sites. Furthermore, all patients will be screened upon entry to any of the UHD locations between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Patients will then be asked a set of short questions and assessed for health concerns prior to being seen by a clinician.

The Winnebago Clinic will also remain closed until further notice.

At the moment, UHD is not offering Urgent Care through its Emergency Room. The public is advised to call the clinic at (507) 526-7388 to schedule a same day appointment.

Any patients who are seen between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. will be considered Emergency Room patients and will be seen in the ER.

Beginning on April 1, United Hospital District clinics will only be seeing patients with a high-risk health concern.

River’s Edge Hospital & Clinic in St. Peter has also enforced visitor restrictions.

According to its website, River’s Edge Hospital has closed visitor hours for inpatients at the hospital. All patients, including inpatients, Emergency Department, Urgent Care, Physical and Occupational Therapy, Laboratory, Imaging, Outpatient Surgery, Infusion Therapy and Cardiac Rehab patients, will be allowed only one support person to be in the hospital room during this time.

United Health District announced Thursday that its Fairmont and Wells locations are scheduled to close to the public on Friday, March 20.

Windom Area Health announced Thursday afternoon that it will not be allowing any visitors for general inpatient, outpatient or emergency patients until further notice. The measure will be implemented beginning at 6 a.m. on Friday, March 27.

OB, pediatric and end-of-life patients will be allowed one adult support person/caregiver who is in good health.

Ridgeview Medical Center and Clinics announced Friday that it has canceled many of its classes, events and support groups at many of its locations.

Ridgeview Medical Center announced Friday that the Henderson and Winthrop clinics will be temporarily closed until further notice.

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