Rome Memorial Hospital not allowing visitors amid increase in community virus cases

ROME, N.Y. — Rome Memorial Hospital (RMH) announced it is suspending all routine inpatient hospital visits, effective Tuesday, following an “increasing number” of COVID cases in the community.

RMH says it is taking this step “out of an abundance of caution.”

The hospital also noted that nursing-home visitation will continue by appointment — under the state’s most-current safety precautions — which require proof of a negative COVID test to protect residents.

“Out of an abundance of caution, Rome Memorial Hospital will join with other regional hospitals and restrict hospital visitors for everyone’s protection,” Emma Ingalls, director of infection prevention, said in a statement. “We monitor the county’s COVID dashboard regularly. In the last week, the number of positive COVID cases in the county has been increasing. Because people may have COVID before they experience any symptoms, we are taking proactive steps to protect those who are most vulnerable.”

The hospital will allow limited exceptions for “medically necessary support and special circumstances.”

Exceptions to the hospital visitor restrictions include the time of a patient discharge, end-of-life care, and patients for whom a support person has been determined essential to the care of the patient (medically necessary).

In addition, RMH allows a support person for pediatric and surgical patients, along with patients needing the maternity department and the emergency department.

For those exceptions, only one person is allowed for the duration of the visit, and the visitors must be 18 or older, must be immediate family members, powers of attorney, guardians, or patient representatives, and must be cleared through the screening process.

RMH also emphasizes that everyone entering the building must be screened for symptoms upon entry, wear a mask at all times, maintain six feet of physical distancing, wash their hands with soap and water frequently or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and stay home if they have any symptoms.