Tuomey visitations stopped because of omicron spike; Prisma Health only allowing visitors in special circumstances across system

Once again, most patients needing emergency care at Prisma Health hospitals throughout the state will no longer be allowed to have visitors.

The health system, the biggest in the state and which owns and operates Sumter's Tuomey Hospital, announced Friday evening it will stop visitation except under special circumstances, effective Saturday at 7 a.m., "because of the steep rise in COVID-19 throughout the state and the high infection rates."

The move applies to all Prisma Health hospital emergency departments.

Visitors and care partners will be asked to wait in their cars or offsite once a patient has been checked in, according to a news release. Updates will be provided by phone and will follow guidelines for patient confidentiality.

The exceptions, as determined by the patient's ER health care providers, include children under 18 or when an adult arrives accompanies by a child; patients with care needs or who are unable to give consent or when an adult arrives accompanies by an adult with care needs; and end-of-life events.

"The step is needed to protect patients, visitors and team members during this unprecedented omicron surge," Prisma Health officials said in the release.

The highly contagious and fast-spreading COVID-19 variant is now the dominant strain of the virus in South Carolina, Prisma doctors said during a media call Thursday.

While the variant has been less deadly, its exponential spike in cases has caused an increase in hospitalizations from the virus. People are less sick, but the number of COVID-19 patients requiring a hospital bed is overwhelming hospital systems that are short on staff because they are sick themselves and were already dealing with a nationwide staff shortage amid the nearly 2-year-long pandemic.

Prisma doctors said Thursday they had nearly 440 patients in their hospitals compared to 85 on Dec. 1. Only 20% were vaccinated.