Desert Messenger

4 www.DesertMessenger.com March 17, 2021 585 N. Central Quartzsite Open Mon-Fri 8-5 928-927-8787 Johnny DelPino, Owner BEST AUTO RV & TRUCK REPAIR SERVICE YOU CAN DEPEND ON! Call Don 208-255-6955 Don's Rocks Decorative Landscaping Hauling, Dumptruck & Backhoe Services WE'RE BACK! Looking forward to seeing our Friends! Not a licensed contractor Corner of Moon Mt. & Cowell • Quartzsite • 928-927-5400 OPEN YEAR ROUND Cheyanne, Debbi, Sheryl, Linda, Tonia, Gayle & Janna ARE HERE FOR YOUR WE'RE OPEN YEAR ROUND! Hair, Nails, and Pedicure Services HOURS: MON - FRIDAY & SATURDAY BY APPOINTMENT Citing the signifi cant decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases in La Paz County, La Paz Regional Hospital CEO Kevin Brown an- nounced that limited visiting hours at the hospital have resumed. "Separation of patients and their loved ones during a hospitalization can cause signifi cant stress and anxiety," said Chief Nursing Offi cer Maria Martinez, R.N. "At La Paz Regional, we take a proactive, but measured approach to protect our patients, while maintaining our fo- cus on patient-centered care." "The data is trending in the right direction. The number of patients hospitalized has declined, the posi- tivity rate is lower and the number of new cases suggests that transmis- sion has slowed," she said. "With screening and proper precautions, we can resume limited visitation safely in most patient care areas." Adult visitors, 18 and older, are welcome 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. seven days a week. Visitors should en- ter through the Main Entrance to the hospital. All visitors will be screened. Patients may have one visitor at a time in the inpatient units. Patients in the Emergency Department may have one support person for the duration of their vis- it. For patients in isolation rooms, no visitors will be allowed in the room; however a visitor may send greetings from outside the room. Visitors may not enter if: • They have current symptoms or a temperature of 100.0 degrees or higher; • They have had symptoms or had a positive COVID-19 test within the last 14 days; • They have been exposed to CO- VID-19 within the last 14 days; or • They refuse to wear a mask. "Individuals may have COVID- 19 without having any symptoms, which can put a patient at risk. Therefore, it is essential that visi- tors take every precaution to protect their loved one and reduce the risk of a potential exposure during their visit," Martinez emphasized. Visitors must check-in at the Nurses Station upon arrival at the unit. In addition, visitors must: • Wear a face covering over the nose and mouth at all times and avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth. • Use any additional personal pro- tective equipment required by staff. • Wash hands or use hand sani- tizer before entering the patient's room and upon leaving. • Maintain social distancing and avoid personal contact with the pa- tient. • Stay in the patient's room throughout the visit except when requested by staff to leave during a procedure. • Avoid unnecessary touching of surfaces during the visit, including the patient's belongings. The new guidelines apply to rou- tine visitation and do not restrict a medically necessary support person from accompanying a patient to a clinical area. Brown added, "These guidelines are intended to protect our patients and staff safe and to avoid risk to visitors. I look forward to extending these visiting hours as our county statistics improve even more." Hospital resumes limited visiting hours Discovery provides another reason for Arizonans to follow mitigation steps PHOENIX — The Arizona Depart- ment of Health Services (ADHS), the Yuma County Public Health Services District, and Translation- al Genomics Research Institute (TGen) reported today that the P1 COVID-19 variant strain, common- ly referred to as the Brazilian vari- ant, has been confi rmed in three test samples from the state. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this variant of SARS-CoV-2, which spreads at a faster rate, was fi rst detected in the U.S. at the end of January; howev- er, studies suggest that the vaccines currently authorized for use are ef- fective against it. It is typical for viruses to change through mutation as they continue spreading, and new variants of a vi- rus are expected to occur over time. Sometimes new variants emerge and disappear. Other times, new variants appear and linger. It isn't known how widely the variant may have spread in Arizona. ADHS is working with TGen and several laboratories and public health part- ners, including the CDC, to monitor this situation. To learn more about COVID-19 vac- cines and vaccination, please vis- it azdhs.gov/COVID19Vaccines. First cases of Brazilian COVID-19 found in AZ

• Cover