William Newton Hospital in Winfield.
With several developments taking place regarding COVID-19 guidelines for the general public, the William Newton Hospital incident command system team met Monday to review the changes, according to a news release from the hospital Wednesday.
“Last week, the City of Winfield repealed its mask ordinance, the CDC released new guidelines for fully vaccinated individuals, and Gov. Laura Kelly announced the state of Kansas was adopting the CDC’s recommendations,” William Newton Hospital Director of Marketing Sarah Johnson said.
“It’s natural for people to ask if the hospital, too, will be adjusting its practices. As a healthcare provider, patient safety is our top priority. Therefore, WNH is keeping its current COVID-19 precautions in place for the time being.”
Johnson pointed out the recent CDC guidelines are not intended for healthcare settings.
Along with the CDC guidelines, the hospital team reviewed screening requirements by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Hospital Infection Control Coordinator Melanie Burnett, MSN, RN, also consulted with infectious disease expert Margaret Hagan, MD.
“Masks are still an important tool to prevent the spread of COVID-19, especially in healthcare settings,” Burnett said.
The hospital is still restricting visitors and requiring masks or face coverings in all public and patient care areas. All individuals entering the healthcare facility are being screened for signs of illness.
“Although protocols have been relaxed elsewhere, healthcare workers still have to protect themselves and patients from COVID-19 transmission,” Johnson said. “We are asking everyone to respect this by wearing a mask when entering our facilities.”
If a healthcare provider’s COVID-19 protocols are unknown, Burnett suggests leaning on the side of caution and bringing a face covering to the visit.
To learn more about the precautions in place at William Newton Hospital, call at 620-221-2300 or visit www.wnhcares.org.
