A Message From Our CEO
While we have been fortunate so far not to have any Coronavirus cases in this region of the state, there have been cases as close as Atlanta. In response, we are instituting Coronavirus Prevention and Awareness Measures. We are assuming a robust, aggressive, proactive position to promote a healthy community.
Please read these guidelines and help us keep you, your family, and your friends healthy throughout the coronavirus threat. One action you can take to help us keep patients and Care Center residents safe is to limit your visits and minimize exposure for them. Please exercise discretion to help us keep our patients, residents, caregivers, healthcare workers, and community, healthy and safe.
Respectfully,
Dr. Fran Witt, CEO, Effingham Health System
Screening Effective March 6th, 2019:
- Visitors and patients who have recently traveled outside the U.S., through a major airport, or been in close contact with anyone who has traveled recently, will be asked to present themselves to health system employees upon entry to any EHS facility.
- People experiencing fever, cough, sore throat, or shortness of breath will also be screened by health system employees upon entry to any EHS facility.
Visitor Guidelines
To minimize risk for our patients and caregivers, please limit visits to hospital patients and Effingham Care and Rehabilitation Center residents.
We ask that young people UNDER 18 years of age NOT visit relatives or friends in the hospital, and encourage them not to accompany other patients seeking care unless they are seeking treatment themselves.
We ask those over 18 years, experiencing any symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, or shortness of breath), NOT to visit patients in the hospital or Care Center.
Preventing COVID-19 Spread in Our Community
This CDC webpage gives specific action plans for various groups within our community:
- At Home
- At Work
- At K-12 Schools and Childcare
- At Colleges and Universities
- For Community and Faith-based Organization
- At Large Community Events and Mass Gatherings
- For First Responders
COVID-19 Testing Update
DPH no longer offers drive-through COVID-19 testing on the Effingham Health System campus. For more information on the nearest free PCR testing sites, including self-test kiosks in Savannah, visit https://covid19.gachd.org/covid-19-screening-and-testing…/.
Free Rapid self-test kits are available at the Effingham County Board of Health.
INFORMATION HOTLINE
(844) 442-2681
Georgia Department of Public Health’s hotline provides COVID-19 updates.
DPH Coastal Health District Vaccine Distribution Update
Statewide COVID-19 Information (DPH)
How to Protect Yourself, Symptoms & What to Do if You are Sick (CDC)
Preventing Coronavirus Spread in Our Community (CDC)
CDC Workplace Guidelines for Employers
NEWS MEDIA HOTLINE
(912) 755-1091
This line is for official news media only. No information will be given to non-media individuals calling this line.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY
Thank you to everyone who has reached out to support our healthcare heroes during this pandemic.
Click for a full list of these generous people and businesses.
TIPS TO STAY HEALTHY
Tips from the World Health Organization
Wash Your Hands Frequently
Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Why? Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands.
Maintain social distancing
Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Why? When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease.
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
Why? Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick.
Practice respiratory hygiene
Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately. Why? Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.
These Tips are from the World Health Organization (WHO). For more information on how to help fight the spread of COVID-19, click here to visit their website.