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Vidant Health announced Thursday that it is adjusting the visitation restrictions for the emergency departments of all of its hospitals, including Vidant Beaufort Hospital in Washington.

“In response to increased community spread and the heightened risk of hospitalization posed by the Delta variant, all Vidant Health hospitals are adjusting visitation policy in the Emergency Department,” a Vidant release reads. “To ensure the safety of patients, families and team members, effective 7 a.m. Friday, Aug. 13, visitors will not be allowed in the ED lobby or waiting areas at hospitals across Vidant’s system. ED patients can have one healthy adult visitor screened and masked at all times once the patient has been placed into a room, as long as the patient is not COVID positive.”

Masks are required in all Vidant facilities. All visitors are screened for COVID-19 symptoms before entering a facility.