'No-Visitor' Policy In Effect At Silver Cross In New Lenox

NEW LENOX, IL — Visitors will not be allowed at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox beginning Thursday, according to a hospital spokesperson. The move comes as the hospital has seen a surge in COVID-19-related cases over the past week.

"As COVID-19 cases continue to rise at an alarming rate within our community and at Silver Cross Hospital, we are implementing a No-Visitor Policy effective Dec. 30, 2021, to maintain the safest possible environment for our patients and our staff," a statement on Silver Cross' website read Thursday. "This policy will remain in effect until further notice."

Visitors will not be allowed in the inpatient nursing units, intensive care unit and the emergency department.

Special exemptions to the policy will apply to procedural care patients, the labor/delivery unit and neonatal and delivery units, and those receiving outpatient services, according to the Silver Cross website.

There were 126 patients with COVID-19-related illness — 1/3 of the hospital's total patients — in the hospital's care as of Thursday, according to hospital officials; of those, 125 had tested positive for COVID-19.

Eighteen COVID-19 patients were currently in the intensive care unit, and eight of those patients were on ventilators, hospital officials said.

"So that we can continue to safely care for all patients who come to our hospital, we’ve activated our hospital surge plan during this period of local and national crisis," said Director of Marketing and Communications Debra Robbins. "For Silver Cross, this includes mobilizing our staff to areas where they’re most needed, including our Emergency Department; [and] restricting elective surgeries for two weeks beginning Monday, Jan. 3, so that we can conserve beds for our growing number of inpatients."

Both Silver Cross Urgent Care Centers, in New Lenox and Homer-Glen, are still accepting patients for care; however, those with COVID-19 symptoms who want to be tested need to schedule an appointment online. Walk-ins for other, non-COVID-19 medical issues are still welcome at the Urgent Care Centers, hospital officials said.

"We continue to encourage everyone who’s eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and to get the booster shot when appropriate, as that adds extra protection against the virus," Robbins said. "With more individuals vaccinated, that will help relieve the added stress on hospitals and healthcare providers.

"We also encourage community members who think they may have COVID-19 and are experiencing only minor symptoms to call their provider first and avoid coming to the Emergency Department. The pandemic has led to longer wait times in hospital emergency departments everywhere – including Silver Cross – as patients are triaged and treated based on the severity of their condition."

For more information and to book a COVID-19 test, visit the Silver Cross Hospital website.

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