Meadows Regional Medical Center CEO Alan Kent said Monday that our area, like all others, is seeing a growing number of COVID-19 patients, but there is good news, as well. Kent said that when the virus first spiked in March and April, the hospital didn't have many inpatients, but since July 4, the numbers have spiked, and peaked last week with 24 patients in various units at the hospital from patient rooms to the Intensive Care Unit. However, Monday, there were 12 patients at Meadows with the virus, and none were on ventilators.

The CEO said that Meadows has a testing station in place and has the capability to receive the results of the tests in a timely manner. He adds that the testing station is being utilized heavily.

Kent also said that while the hospital had loosened its policy on visitors for patients, since COVID-19 numbers have begun to rise again, Meadows has once again implemented restrictions on visitors with exceptions for significant others of a woman giving birth and other certain medical situations.

Kent said the medical facility is using social media and other outlets to spread the message for individuals to be cautious and not become indifferent in practicing guidelines to prevent becoming infected including wearing masks in public settings, social distancing and avoid large crowds and gathering.