Hendrick Health Dials Down The Covid-19 Safety Level

ABILENE, TX –– The Hendrick Health Community system is dialing it back on the Covid-19 Safety Level dial as coronavirus cases continue to decrease.

According to the hospital, the system is now in Level 4 –– Severe. During the latest surge in cases, the safety level dial had reached Level 6 --Emergency. The change is based on the seven-day community positivity rate and the case count in the hospital.

The change will impact the visitation restrictions to allow two visitors per non-COVID patient in the facility at a time. Visitors must be checked in at screening stations. Underage visitors will be permitted to visit non-COVID patients while accompanied by chaperones.

As of Monday, October 25th, there were 53 patients hospitalized with Covid complications –– with 22 of them in the ICU. These numbers include patients in the Hendrick Health System in Abilene and Brownwood.

A masking policy remains in place for all visitors and staff throughout all its facilities, regardless of vaccination status.

"COVID-19 vaccines are the best form of defense against COVID-19 and its variants and have been proven effective at preventing hospitalization and severe illness," said the hospital in a statement. "Hendrick Health strongly encourages all eligible persons to get vaccinated, as soon as possible. For more information about the vaccine, visit vaccine.gov."