Monterey County hospitals prepare to implement new state requirements for visitors
MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION) Last week, the California Department of Public Health announced a new public health order requiring hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities to either show that they are fully vaccinated or test negative for COVID-19 in the 72 hours before the visit, and Monterey County hospitals said they are preparing to implement the order.
In a joint statement, leaders at the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Natividad, Salinas Valley Healthcare System and Mee Memorial said they will begin implementing the restrictions on visitors starting at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday.
Monterey County hospitals said they will have additional restrictions related to limited visiting hours, masking and the number of visitors allowed for each patient.
They said the new requirements are part of an effort to protect patients, visitors and staff as they try to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The county reports seeing a significant increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations recently.
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Those who are visiting a patient in critical condition when death may be imminent are exempt from vaccination and testing requirements, but the hospitals said they will still need to follow all mask, personal protective equipment and physical distancing requirements.
To find out where to get a COVID-19 test or vaccine, you can visit the Monterey County website here.
You can also learn about each hospital's specific requirements by clicking on the links below.
