Temporary reduction of certain services and visits prohibited in Zone 4 hospitals
Edmundston, Tuesday, March 23, 2021 – Vitalité Health Network announces a temporary reduction of some services and a suspension of visits for the Edmundston Regional Hospital, Grand Falls General Hospital and Hôtel-Dieu-Saint-Joseph de Saint-Quentin.
Concerning situation in Zone 4
The epidemiological situation related to the COVID-19 virus continues to be of concern in Zone 4 (Edmundston region). Positive cases have been detected in some schools, and several businesses in the region are under an exposure notification. All of this means that many residents in the region must self-isolate to limit the spread of the virus, which has an impact on the availability of many of the health care workers required to provide services. "The ban on visits is intended to limit the circulation of people in our facilities and prevent the spread of the virus," said Dr. France Desrosiers, President and CEO of the Network.
Visits are prohibited
Visits are prohibited at the Edmundston Regional Hospital, Grand Falls General Hospital and Hôtel-Dieu-Saint-Joseph de Saint-Quentin, except in the following cases:
- Visits will be restricted to one designated visitor per patient at the Obstetric, Pediatric and Intensive Care units and to two designated visitors (one at a time) for Palliative Care (end-of-life) patients;
- As for patients who will receive medical assistance in dying, the presence of two designated visitors will be allowed (one at a time), except in exceptional cases where one of the visitors would require assistance to go to the patient’s bedside.
Temporary reduction of patient services
Some ambulatory care services and elective surgeries will be reduced temporarily at the Edmundston Regional Hospital, Grand Falls General Hospital and Hôtel-Dieu-Saint-Joseph de Saint-Quentin.
For the moment, the Network is asking people in Zone 4 to present for their hospital appointments at the scheduled date and time. In the event that certain services would be impacted, the Network will contact those directly affected to postpone their appointments to a later date.
Reduced traffic at Emergency departments
The Network would like to emphasize that the Emergency departments of the Edmundston Regional Hospital, Grand Falls General Hospital and Hôtel-Dieu-Saint-Joseph de Saint-Quentin are open for people who require emergency care and want to see a doctor. However, we ask that people whose health condition does not require urgent care make an appointment with their family doctor or nurse practitioner, consult with their community pharmacist, visit a walk-in clinic or call Tele-Care (811).
The Network also reiterates the importance of Public Health measures to ensure everyone’s safety: respect physical distancing measures (two metres), wash your hands often and wear a mask.
