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With community transmission falling in Cowlitz County, beginning Friday, May 7 at 3 p.m., the hospital will lift its ‘no visitor’ policy to allow one visitor per day, per patient, with some limited exceptions. For patients confirmed with COVID-19, there remains no visitors with limited exceptions.
This decision was made with the desire to balance safety with patient and community satisfaction. The hospital will continue to diligently monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community as the health and safety of caregivers, patients and community remains top priority. Any exceptions to the policy will be made at the discretion of the PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center clinical care leadership.
“With community transmission falling, and recognizing the importance of having a loved one by a patient’s side, we are once again able to lift visitor restrictions while still effectively safeguarding against the spread of COVID-19 for our patients, caregivers and the broader community,” said Cherelle Montanye, PeaceHealth St. John Chief Administrative Officer. “However, COVID-19 remains in our community, so we strongly encourage everyone to remain vigilant about mask wearing and to those not vaccinated, please schedule an appointment to receive a vaccine.”
All visitors will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms before entering the facility. Visitors must also wear a mask during their entire visit.
Visit peacehealth.org/coronavirus for more information about safety measures at PeaceHealth, vaccine availability, and other education and prevention resources related to COVID-19.
About PeaceHealth: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a not-for-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. It has approximately 16,000 caregivers, a group practice with more than 900 providers and 10 medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Visit us online at peacehealth.org