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Two hospitals allowing patient visits again

At Wayne Memorial Hospital and Guthrie Hospital System, people can once again visit patients due to the decline in COVID cases.

HONESDALE, Pa. — There is some welcome news for people recovering at Wayne Memorial Hospital and for those who love them.

People can once again visit patients at the facility.

“Would be nice if you have a loved one in there. You take the emergency room, they won't let you in. You got sit in the lobby,” said Dennis Wilcox from Damacus Township. “So, it would be nice to be in there, especially with a child.

The hospital says it feels comfortable relaxing the visitor restriction due to the decline in COVID cases at the hospital and in the community.

The rules are:

  • Only one person can visit a patient.
  • That person must be designated by the patient.
  • Visitors can come between 9 a.m and 6 p.m.
  • The designated visitor must pass a COVID questionnaire and temperature check, but no COVID testing or vaccination is required.

The hospital feels having people visit a patient could help with their recovery by boosting them mentally, and people agree.

"Not every ailment is purely physical, so, yeah, there is that mental aspect. Just having someone to visit, you know that they care can certainly that can help when you're that mental place. You're probably not at your best when they see you, so yeah, sure it helps,” said Matthew Wright from Beech Lake.

Wayne Memorial says while it is only one person per patient visit, it is only one person who is allowed to visit that patient.

"We only allow really one person to be on the list. The exceptions are end-of-life situation or pediatric patients or our nursery patients that are here for an extended period of time. In those situations, again, there are more than one person,” said James Pettinato, R.N., the Director of Patient Care Services.

Guthrie Hospital System in Bradford County is also allowing patient visits.

Its requirements are similar to those of Wayne Memorial. However, it is allowing more than one person on the visitor's list.

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