Coronavirus 19

Seminole Hospital District is updating their current COVID protocols. Due to the rapid increase and severity of the COVID cases, an emergency medical staff meeting was convened to act in the best interest of the community, staff, and patients. Effective August 18th, the new COVID protocols will include the following:

1. All visitors and staff will be screened for COVID at the entrance of the hospital and will be required to wear a surgical mask. If patients don’t have one, one will be provided to them. (Cloth masks are unacceptable)
2. All staff, regardless of COVID immunization status, must wear surgical mask or higher when involved directly with patient care. If known COVID patient, or patient with COVID like symptoms, an N95 mask is required.
3. Admin staff and those not directly involved with patient care must wear surgical mask or N95 if not vaccinated.
4. COVID patients are allowed to designate one visitor only during their stay.
5. Labor patients are allowed to designate two visitors during their stay.
6. Non COVID Med Surg patients may have 2 visitors per 24-hour period.
7. Emergency room patients are allowed to designate one visitor.
8. Waiting rooms will be shut down for the time being.

Seminole Hospital District is encouraging everyone to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Walmart, CVS, and the South Plains Public Health District are all providing vaccines locally in town. If you have questions regarding the vaccine, vaccine options, or whether you should get vaccinated, please see your provider or your department head for more information. We appreciate the community’s cooperation as we implement these new protocols. Please remember that the Memorial Health Care Center (Nursing Home) and Memorial Place Assisted Living continue to be under more stringent protocols.

Gov. Abbott’s announcement today regarding “businesses opening to 100%” does not impact hospitals and health services.  We will continue to comply with CDC and state regulations regarding masks, screening, visitors and Covid prevention procedures until we receive further notice from these agencies.

As COVID numbers are decreasing the state has placed the visitation policy at the hospital’s discretion, so we have decided to increase visitation to all units in the hospital to 2 at a time, but still no one under the age of 18 effective tomorrow 2/23/2021. We do still have to continue with screening and mask wearing for at least another 60 days per the state mandate. Please understand if there is another spike we will have to reevaluate, and/ or the state will reevaluate for us.

Memorial Place Assisted Living has been following the Texas Governor’s orders as well as following all guidance and required actions from the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services related to Covid-19 infection control. With this being said, an employee of Memorial Place Assisted Living has tested positive for COVID-19 on 8/26/20. The facility will be working closely with Texas Health and Human Services and the health department to make sure we continue to follow all guidelines set for Texas assisted living facilities.  We will monitor all residents and staff closely and will keep the community informed. Due to the positive COVID-19 Case and current HHSC Guidelines, a delay in the Phase 1 Visitation for Memorial Place Assisted Living will occur.

Memorial Health Care Center has been following the Texas Governor’s orders as well as following all guidance and required actions from the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services related to Covid-19 infection control. With this being said, an employee of Memorial Health Care Center has tested positive for COVID-19 on 7/22/20. The facility will be working closely with Texas Health and Human Services and the Gaines County Health Department to make sure we continue to follow all guidelines set for Texas Nursing Homes. We will monitor all residents and staff closely and will keep the community informed.