Adventist Health Sonora Limits Visitors & Encourages Covid Vaccination Amid Rising Cases

Sonora, CA…Due to increasing levels of community spread of COVID-19, Adventist Health is taking additional steps to ensure the health and safety of patients and staff. As of July 28, one visitor or support person is allowed for most patients. Inpatients in the Birth Center are allowed three visitors for the duration of their stay, and pediatric patients are allowed two visitors. All visitors must be 18 years or older, wear a mask at all times and be screened for COVID-19 exposure and symptoms. COVID-19 patients are not allowed visitors unless approved by hospital department leads.

Additionally, the emergency department is testing all admitted patients for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, to reduce the potential for transmission. Patients in other departments who cannot verify vaccination status are also being tested before being admitted.

“We are well prepared with experienced staff, ample supplies, and policies and procedures honed over the last 17 months of frontline pandemic response,” said Michelle Fuentes, President of Adventist Health Sonora. “We are open, safe, and ready to care for our community, with all safety precautions in place that continue to protect our patients, families and caregivers.”

With cases increasing once again in Tuolumne County, Adventist Health Sonora is strongly encouraging community members to get the COVID-19 vaccine, including those who have already had COVID-19. Being vaccinated is the best way to keep our families, friends, and neighbors safe, and it’s also the best protection against straining first responders and avoiding the potential for more dangerous variants of the virus from emerging. The COVID-19 vaccines are safe and currently available to anyone age 12 and older for Pfizer and 18 and older for Johnson & Johnson or Moderna. More information is available at www.AdventistHealthSonora.org/COVIDvaccine.

For those experiencing mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19 or other non-urgent health matters, Adventist Health Sonora encourages patients to monitor symptoms and respond accordingly. Patients may call their primary care provider for advice or consider scheduling a virtual visit. More information on virtual visits and COVID-19 symptoms may be found at www.AdventistHealth.org.

Anyone experiencing a medical emergency, such as difficulty breathing, chest pain, stroke-like symptoms, head injury, a broken bone or burns, should not hesitate to seek immediate care and should call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency department.

The Tuolumne County Public Health Department (TCPH) continues to maintain the Tuolumne County COVID-19 Data Dashboard, which can be found on their website at https://www.tuolumnecounty.ca.gov/250/Public-Health. Anyone who has traveled or attended a recent event is urged to get tested five days after the event or return from travel.

According to TCPH, the Optum Serve State testing site is now open at the Tuolumne Veteran’s Memorial Hall in Tuolumne on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The site is located at 18375 Fir Ave. in Tuolumne. Individuals can schedule appointments at lhi.care/covidtesting or by calling 888-634-1123. Walk-ins are also available. There is no cost to the individual and anyone can get tested.

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About Adventist Health
Adventist Health is a faith-based, nonprofit integrated health system serving more than 80 communities on the West Coast and Hawaii as well as others across the U.S. through its Blue Zones company, a pioneer in taking a systemic and environmental approach to improving the health of entire cities and communities. Through this work, Adventist Health is leading a 21st century well-being transformation movement. Founded on Seventh-day Adventist heritage and values, Adventist Health provides care in hospitals, clinics, its innovative Adventist Health Hospital@Home program that provides virtual in-patient care at home, home care agencies, hospice agencies and joint-venture retirement centers in both rural and urban communities. Our compassionate and talented team of 37,000 includes associates, medical staff physicians, allied health professionals and volunteers driven in pursuit of one mission: living God’s love by inspiring health, wholeness and hope. Together, we are transforming the American healthcare experience with an innovative, yet timeless, whole-person focus on physical, mental, spiritual and social healing to support community well-being.

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