NANTUCKET – As the Coronavirus continues to spread across Massachusetts and the country, Nantucket Cottage Hospital is providing patients and locals with updated information.
Due to the ongoing response efforts of hospital personnel, all patients must enter the hospital through the emergency department, effective immediately.
This measure is being taken to control who enter the hospital, and is being implemented to protect patients and staff.
It will also allow the hospital to implement new screening measures for patients.
The hospital is also currently canceling and rescheduling routine and non-urgent appointments as well as elective procedures due to the ongoing coronavirus response efforts.
Staff members are calling patients to notify them and reschedule if possible.
Hospital president Gary Shaw and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Diane Pearl said in a statement that Nantucket Cottage Hospital will not be able to cope with the projected numbers of people who will need acute care and that if current infections trends hold, the hospital’s capacity may be overwhelmed.
Shaw and Pearl said they can get the hospital off the trajectory by working together as a community to maintain public health by staying apart.
They recommended everyone practice safe social distancing and to avoid activities such as play-dates, parties, sleepovers, or family gatherings and to reduce the frequency of going to stores, restaurants and coffee shops for the time being.
Other tips that were offered included taking walks or runs outside but maintaining distance and staying home or contacting medical professionals if you are sick.
For more information on Nantucket Cottage Hospital during the Coronavirus outbreak, visit Nantuckethospital.com.
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