Visitation rules change as hospitals struggle to keep up with Covid surge

FOX 2 - As the Covid infection rate climbs higher, hospitals are dealing with the impact.

"Already we are on track to have a surge worse than fall," said Dr. Justin Skrzynski, Beaumont internal medicine. "Beaumont has more than 750 Covid patient system-wide which is a pretty concerning number. So there is a lot of discussion on how we are going to accommodate an increasing number of patients." 

Detroit Medical Center is also seeing an increase. 

"We are ready and able to handle at least for now, with what is coming in through the doors," said Dr. Patricia Wilkerson-Uddyback, DMC. 

The reason the DMC believes it can handle this surge is that the type of COVID-19 patients they are primarily treating, are younger.

"We are not seeing the same age range as before, earlier on in this pandemic," Uddyback said. "We are able to discharge people sooner, and there are more treatment regimens."

Currently, both hospitals are still opting to do elective procedures. 

"That might change depending on where numbers go," said Skrzymski. 

The rising numbers are also impacting visitation.

"We were allowing inpatients to have one visitor per day, and we are going to eliminate that now," Uddyback said. 

"Right now vaccinated visitors can visit non-Covid patients," said Skrzymski. 

Because the visitation guidelines can change, you are advised to call or check out their websites for the most accurate information. 

As medical professionals continue to monitor the Covid infection rate, they say their best advice is: 

"People need to get the vaccine, there are no restrictions now," Uddyback said.