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ECMC, Roswell Park put limits on who can enter hospital facilities

Erie County Medical Center and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center announced restrictions Sunday on who will be allowed into their facilities.

Only staff, patients and their visitors will be allowed into Erie County Medical Center for at least the next week, maybe longer, as part of the effort to protect against COVID-19, hospital officials announced in a statement.

All volunteers, vendors and medical and nursing students will not be admitted to ECMC facilities. Medical residents will still be able to enter, officials said.

Roswell Park announced that patients can have only one visitor at a time in its main hospital, its outpatient centers and its community practice locations until further notice.

Patients and visitors also are asked not to bring anyone under 16 to Roswell Park locations. Anyone under 16 will be screened for signs of illness, Roswell Park said.

The hospitality room and gift shop at Roswell Park's main hospital will be closed and all patients and visitors will have to enter through the main entrance, where basic health screenings will be given.

The ECMC statement noted that the hospital already has established rules for patients and visitors at all entrances and restricted travel by employees outside Western New York. A ban of visitors has been imposed at the Terrace View Long-Term Care facility.

Officials added that the ECMC lab is preparing to become a COVID-19 test facility, if requested by the state. The hospital also has activated a COVID-19 Incident Command Center.