ANNA (WSIL) -- Local health facilities are following the advice of national officials by changing visitation policies.
At least seven nursing homes and three hospitals in southern Illinois have shifted procedures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those procedures include limiting visits to small groups and not allowing anyone under 18 years old into their buildings.
For more than a month, Union County Hospital has been improving ways to respond to the virus, including holding mock COVID-19 drills. Chief Nursing Officer Chuck Sanders says they're one of the first hospitals in the state to hold those drills.
"In a race, you want to keep running. You want to stay ahead of the pack," Sanders said. Sanders has spent nearly 30 years in healthcare, working at facilities in Tennessee, Virginia and Peoria, Illinois.
"There has been a measles response that I've been a part of, there's been a response specific to the mumps," Sanders said. "But nothing like [COVID-19].
Last week, the hospital held a mock drill that focused on isolation patients. The patients had symptoms written on them, Sanders said, and hospital officials would walk patients through procedures and then reflect on the drill.
"When would the mask be applied? What locations would we put them in?" Sanders said. "How would we segregate folks based on what their presentation was?"
Sanders said the hospital plans to hold another mock drill next week.
Quorum Healthcare, the hospital's parent company, announced that it would designate a COVID-19 response team whose duties would include managing statistics, resources and supplies for all 23 of its hospitals.
