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<p><strong>Precautions will remain in place to protect patients and staff</strong></p>
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<p><strong>From staff reports</strong></p>
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<p>Beaufort County and the City of Beaufort may have recently decided against extending mask mandates, but Beaufort Memorial Hospital is staying the course.</p>
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<p>Beaufort Memorial Hospital (BMH) will maintain masking, screening and other precautions for patients, visitors and staff to prevent the spread of viruses and infections and based on CDC recommendations for healthcare settings.</p>
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<p>The announcement came Friday, April 30 in a news release.</p>
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<p>“Healthcare settings like Beaufort Memorial treat patients who are often sick or immunocompromised and, therefore, at higher risk for viruses and infections of all kinds, including COVID-19,” BMH President and CEO Russell Baxley said in a news release. “It is our mission and our duty to ensure that everyone who enters our facilities is safe and protected, which is why we will continue to require masking for all.”</p>
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<p>Though area governments and municipalities will allow broad mask mandates to expire, businesses still maintain the authority to enforce masking in their facilities.</p>
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<p>Patients and visitors can expect to be screened for symptoms and temperature before entering a facility. Patients and visitors who have proof of full vaccination may bypass screening checks if they do not have symptoms.</p>
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<p>Complete visitor information, including visitor hours, entrance closures and safe care precautions, is available at www.beaufortmemorial.org.</p>
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