Coronavirus: Clara Maass Hospital Changes Visitor Policies

BELLEVILLE, NJ — Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville and other RWJBarnabas Health facilities in New Jersey have rolled out temporary visiting restrictions due to the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19.

RWJBarnabas Health recently announced a set of new guidelines for visitors to its facilities, including Clara Maass hospital. (Read the full statement)

Highlights include:

“All visitors will be screened for the following and may not be allowed to visit or stay in the building based on the results.”

• Recent international travel history
• Recent domestic travel to areas with widespread COVID-19 infection
• Contact with individuals with known COVID-19
• Cold or flu-like symptoms
• In addition, all visitors should wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer before and after visiting.

“The following temporary visiting restrictions are in place at all of our hospitals and health facilities.”

• No visitors under the age of 16 will be permitted
• Visitation is limited to one person per visit in the following areas: All adult medical and behavioral health inpatient units, All Labor & Delivery units (only significant other or support persons can visit)
• All Emergency Departments
• Visitation is limited to two people per visit in the following areas: All Pediatric units (only parents and guardians can visit), All Nurseries and Neonatal Intensive Care Units (only parents and support persons can visit)

“The following temporary visiting restrictions are in place at all of our outpatient facilities.”

• Visitation is limited to one person per appointment, unless an aide or assistant is required.
• In addition, gatherings of family members, friends and other acquaintances of the patient in family lounges, waiting areas, the lobby, cafeterias or restaurants on campus will not be allowed.

According to RWJBarnabas Health administrators, people who think they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should contact their health provider immediately.

“Do not come to the hospital unless advised by your primary healthcare provider,” RWJBarnabas Health stated. “However, if you’re experiencing a healthcare emergency, call 911.”

CORONAVIRUS IN NEW JERSEY

There have been 23 presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in New Jersey as of Thursday morning, with one person dying from the disease. Gov. Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency, and schools across the state have begun to cancel classes. READ MORE: NJ Coronavirus Updates (Here's What You Need To Know)

In general – depending on where they live – New Jersey residents still face a “low risk” of contracting COVID-19, State Epidemiologist Christina Tan said during a Wednesday press conference.

There have been more than 1,300 confirmed U.S. cases of the new coronavirus as of Thursday morning according to Johns Hopkins University, which said the disease also has killed 38 people nationwide.

• See related article: $8B To Fight Coronavirus; NJ Lawmakers Back Huge Spending Bill

WHAT IS COVID-19?

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. You should only wear a mask if a health care professional recommends it. A face mask should be used by people who have COVID-19 and are showing symptoms. This is to protect others from the risk of getting infected. The use of face masks also is crucial for health workers and other people who are taking care of someone infected with COVID-19 in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

Residents who have questions about the virus can contact the State of New Jersey's hotline at 1 (800) 222-1222. The hotline is home of the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, and is staffed 24 hours a day by state health workers.

CORONAVIRUS NEWS IN ESSEX COUNTY

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