Columbus, east Alabama hospitals change visitor policies as COVID cases decline
The number of COVID-19 cases in Muscogee County and surrounding areas has dropped to pre-omicron lows, leading some local hospitals to adjust their visitor policies.
Muscogee County reported a two-week case rate of 134 cases per 100,000 people as of Feb. 24. This is the lowest the two-week case rate has been since Dec. 22 when it was 122 cases per 100,000 people.
The number of cases in a two-week period has dropped every day since Feb. 4 as the omicron surge declines.
Lee County is reporting a moderate community transmission level with a one-week case rate of 26 cases per 100,000, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. Russell County’s community transmission level is rated as substantial with a one-week case rate of 31 cases per 100,000 people.
The East Alabama Medical Center moved its visitation level down to yellow from red beginning Feb. 24, public relations director John Atkinson wrote in a news release. This change allows for two visitors instead of one in some areas, and one visitor instead of zero in other areas.
The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations at EAMC and EAMC-Lanier reached 100 on Jan. 18, Atkinson said, but have declined to the lower 30s. Another reason for the change is the decrease of moving 7-day percentage of positive cases, which dropped to 8.8% in Lee County as of Feb. 22.
In Columbus, St. Francis-Emory Healthcare has also continued to monitor and change its visitation policies based on the current trends, spokesperson Grant Farrimond said.
Most areas of St. Francis-Emory Hospital allow for one healthy support person. Two support persons are allowed in labor and delivery with an additional person in postpartum. No visitors are permitted for COVID-19 positive patients at any time.
Piedmont Columbus Regional updated its Care Partner Policy Guidelines on Feb. 16, and now allows for two care partners per patient per day, with one allowed to stay overnight. Children under 12 are not permitted to visit, and adults over 70 are discouraged.
All three hospitals require everyone to wear medical grade masks, not cloth masks, when they enter the facilities.
“It’s all based on the data and what we’re seeing from an admission standpoint,” Farrimond said. “That’s where we make our decisions on visitation.”
More COVID-19 trends in Muscogee County
The seven-day moving average in Muscogee County on Feb. 24 was 15.1 cases, down from a moving average of 111 cases on Feb. 1. The seven-day moving average is found by taking the number of cases reported in the last seven days, adding them up and then dividing by seven.
There were 12 deaths from COVID-19 in the county between Feb. 18 and Feb. 24. Muscogee County has reported 65 deaths in 2022. Since the start of the pandemic, Muscogee County has reported 31,751 coronavirus cases and 657 deaths.
In the last two weeks, 9.9% of COVID tests in the county were positive.
As of Feb. 25, 48% of Muscogee County residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while 42% are fully vaccinated. Additionally, 16% of residents have received an additional dose of the vaccine.
Georgia update
Total cases: 1,908,613 (+8,866 reported since Feb. 18). The number of new cases reported in a day may not match the difference in total cases over a 24-hour period. This occurs because previously reported cases may be removed as duplicate reports are corrected. An older confirmed case may also be reclassified as additional information is collected during an investigation.
Vaccination Rate: 63% of Georgians have received at least one dose, while 55% are fully vaccinated with 21% receiving an additional dose.
Total deaths: 29,530 (+517 deaths since Feb. 18). It’s important to note that these numbers indicate when deaths are reported to the Georgia Department of Public Health. It does not reflect when these deaths occurred.
Positivity rate for Georgia today: The rate over the past two weeks is 6.7% positive.
Current COVID hospitalizations: 164 hospitalizations reported on Feb. 24.
More information about COVID-19 data in Georgia can be found on DPH’s COVID-19 status website.
