SEAFORD - TidalHealth, operating as TidalHealth Peninsula Regional and TidalHealth Nanticoke, today announced a change to its COVID-19 Patient Safety and Visitation Policy. This change is for TidalHealth Nanticoke only.  Beginning Saturday, October 31, 2020, TidalHealth Nanticoke will return to a no visitation policy and will routinely reevaluate to determine when visitation will be allowed. The no visitation policy is being implemented in response to an increase in new COVID positive cases in Sussex County, Delaware, and an upward trend in new cases in Western Sussex. Western Sussex County is home to a larger at-risk population, including a higher number of those age 65 and older, compared to other parts of the state. In addition to the increase in new cases in Western Sussex, TidalHealth Nanticoke has likewise seen an increase in hospital admissions of COVID positive patients. For patients of TidalHealth Nanticoke only changes include:

• No visitation for any patients admitted to the hospital in Seaford. Exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis for events such as end of life.
• No pediatric patients will be admitted. All pediatric patients will be diverted to A.I. Dupont/Nemours.
• Patients in the Emergency Department may have one support person only with them while in the E.D. This person must consistently remain with the patient and will not be permitted to leave and return to the patient room. If the patient is admitted to the hospital, the patient falls under the no visitation policy and the support person must leave the hospital.
• Labor and Delivery will be restricted to one support person and one Doula or health care professional during delivery and one support person during post-partum care.
• Outpatient and elective surgery patients are allowed one support person; masking and social distancing required.
• Outpatient lab or radiology testing will continue to be available at TidalHealth Nanticoke as well as satellite locations. For a list of all locations visit mytidalhealth.org.
• All TidalHealth primary care, specialty practices and immediate care centers remain open for patient appointments. However, to better ensure the protection of patients and staff, no additional people will be allowed in the waiting rooms. Those who are driving patients to their appointments are being asked to continue the practice of waiting in their vehicles.

TidalHealth encourages friends, family and loved ones to use electronic devices and applications (phones, FaceTime, Skype, etc.) to keep in contact with patients. For the safety of our patients and staff, everyone entering the building will continue to be screened upon entry.