By: Nyah Adams / News Director

Due to the current rise in COVID-19 cases and the rapid spreading of the Omicron variant CentraCare says they are implementing new restrictions at all their facilities.

Starting Tuesday, January 11th, CentraCare/Carris Health will only allow visitors under strict circumstances. The only visitors allowed at the hospitals will be patients in the following situations:

· End of life

· Critically ill

· Parent/legal guardian of a minor patient

· Support person/legal guardian of an adult with cognitive, physical or developmental disabilities

· Labor support for mother’s

· High-risk procedures requiring in-person discussions about care and informed consent

These restrictions do not apply to long term care facilities.

CentraCare also says starting today they will require all patients and visitors who are above the age of 2-years-old to wear a medical grade mask at all facilities across the health system.

Patients and visitors with non-medical grade masks, including cloth masks, gaiters, or bandanas, will have medical-grade masks available to them.

Incident Commander for CentraCare’s COVID-19 response Dr. George Morris says they’re urging the public to help them during this outbreak by wearing a mask, getting vaccinated and boosted, and avoiding large crowds or gatherings until transmission decreases in our region.

Currently Stearns County is seeing a total of 38,068 cases of COVID-19 as of Monday.