AdventHealth and Orlando Health limit visitors again

ORLANDO, Florida – Two of the largest hospital networks in the Orlando metro area have decided to limit visitors in response to increasing COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

From Thursday, AdventHealth Central Florida said he had 720 hospitalizations from COVID-19. Officials say this passed the peak in hospitalizations in May.

While this is not the highest number the hospital network has seen – AdventHealth last saw 900 hospitalizations in the division in January – hospital officials say the contagiousness of the Delta variant and the rate increase worry them.

“We are now seeing the fastest rate of increase we have seen in this entire pandemic,” said Dr Neil Finkler, clinical director.

The vast majority of hospitalizations are due to unvaccinated people, Finkler said, 95% in fact. Very few cases among those who are vaccinated end up being admitted to hospitals.

AdventHealth upgraded to “yellow” status as a precaution, the next level of its color-coded capacity system, which is based on capacity and personnel resources.

This means that hospitals will postpone new elective surgeries requiring hospitalization. Exceptions for those requiring an intensive care stay must be approved by the administration.

Ambulatory surgery and other procedural sites will continue as normal, as will pediatric surgery.

Regarding visitors, AdventHealth said patients who do not have COVID-19 will be allowed two visitors per day, while COVID-positive patients will only be allowed one visitor per day.

Additionally, everyone in hospitals should wear masks, including in non-clinical areas.

However, AdventHealth West announced that there are currently no changes to elective procedures or visitor policies at AdventHealth sites in Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Marion, Pasco and Pinellas counties.

At Orlando Health, the company said on Friday it had adjusted its visitation policy due to the growing number of COVID-19 cases.

The news was first reported by our Orlando Sentinel partners.

Patients who have tested negative for COVID-19 may have two visitors per day during visiting hours, Orlando Health spokeswoman Nicole Ray told Sentinel. Adults can bring a masked child under the age of 3 to all hospitals as a second visitor for non-COVID patients except Orlando Health Winnie Palmer for Women & Babies Hospital. Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital patients are limited to the same two adults as visitors throughout their hospital stay, the Sentinel reported.

Each patient in emergency or surgical areas can have one visitor per day, but no minors are allowed in those areas, Orlando Health told Sentinel.

AdventHealth officials say it’s not just hospitalizations. The rise in cases is occurring at a faster rate than during the 2020 holidays.

“We are definitely seeing an increase in cases at Centra Care,” said Dr. Timothy Hendrix. “We’ve gone down to about a 25% positivity rate, so the odds of someone being sick and coming to Centra Care are about one in four people to test positive, which is a lot higher than barely a month ago. 7%. “

Hendrix says the biggest problem, besides the Delta variant itself, is asymptomatic spread. He says people arrive with a mild cold or upper respiratory infection and test positive for COVID-19. He even urges those who are vaccinated to wear masks.

“We are seeing people who have the virus, don’t know they have the virus and have the potential to spread,” Hendrix said. “So as the number increases in the community and the rate of transmission is higher in the community, it is better that we all wear masks because even if we are vaccinated there may still be cases of breakthrough. and another possibility of transmission. “

It has been a few months since Vernet Stallworth suffered from the coronavirus, claiming for her that it was a horrific experience.

“Every cell in my body felt like it was painful and just rubbing my hands on my skin hurt,” Stallworth said.

Stallworth has not received the vaccine and AdventHealth doctors say the vast majority of their coronavirus patients are not vaccinated.

“There are a lot of unvaccinated people. And as Dr. Walensky of the CDC noted, this is currently an unvaccinated pandemic, ”said Henrix, medical director of AdventHealth Centra Care.