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From October 18, unvaccinated visitors are only allowed under “extraordinary circumstances”
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – To further protect its patients and caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic, the St. Charles health system announced on Tuesday that it would soon require visitors to one of its hospitals or of its clinics are fully vaccinated.
As of Monday, October 18, visitors will only be allowed if they provide acceptable proof that they are fully vaccinated. It is also the day that all healthcare workers must be fully immunized by the state of Oregon.
“We know the important role visitors and support people play in a patient’s healing process,” said Dr. Jeff Absalon, Chief Medical Officer of the Health System. “However, throughout this pandemic, safety has been our top priority. With this as a guide, we had to make changes to our visitor policy to ensure the safety of our patients, caregivers and others. “
A person is considered fully vaccinated if at least two weeks have passed since receiving their second dose of a two-dose series (Pfizer or Moderna) or a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson).
Acceptable proof of vaccination is:
- A COVID-19 vaccination record
- A copy or digital photo of the vaccination record
- A printout of the Oregon Health Authority vaccination registry
- A screenshot or printout of an electronic medical record showing vaccination status
- A St. Charles Health System badge with a COVID vaccination sticker
Unvaccinated visitors will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances. This could include a visitor of a dying patient, a relative of a pediatric patient, a “support person” as defined by Oregon law, or an emergency response worker who may have. need to enter a hospital or clinic while on duty.
Currently, patients who test positive for COVID-19 are not allowed to visit. This will continue to be the case regardless of the visitor’s vaccination status, the health system said. Virtual tours for COVID-19 patients are always encouraged to support family involvement.
All other patients are entitled to at least one fully immunized visitor per day, provided the visitor is 12 years of age or older. This same visitor can come and go throughout the same day.
“We don’t want anything more than to get back to ‘normal’, but we’re just not there yet,” Absalon said. “As a healthcare system, we must continue to be hypervigilant to control the spread of the virus in our facilities. We owe it to our patients, many of whom are medically fragile, and our hard-working caregivers, who put themselves at risk every day to care for our community. “
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