Monadnock Community Hospital was notified Sunday by the NH Department of Health and Human Services that a patient who was tested at the hospital is positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
“All proper precautions were taken with this patient to ensure the least amount of risk to our patients, colleagues and visitors. The team was prepared to care for this patient and followed protocols appropriately. Our preparedness efforts around the virus are in line with the Centers for Disease Control and DHHS guidelines,” the hospital said in a press release.
The hospital is unable to provide specific information on the patient, the press release said, but added that hospital officials are “working with DHHS to evaluate and understand if there are people who have been in close contact with this patient who may have had exposure.”
“As your community hospital, we frequently and effectively provide care for those with infectious diseases. We have been preparing for the potential presence of the virus in our broader community and we are confident in our ability to maintain the health and safety of our staff, patients and visitors. As a reminder, we all must be vigilant in following appropriate steps to protect ourselves, including physical distancing, and hand hygiene standards. I am so proud of our team at MCH and grateful for their amazing dedication and teamwork over the past few weeks. We will get through this together,” Cyndee McGuire, president and CEO, said in the press release.
If you have a fever or symptoms of lower respiratory illness (e.g., cough, shortness of breath), hospital officials ask people to call their primary care clinician.
“Do not go to your Clinician’s office or to the Emergency Department. You will be triaged over the phone and will be given instructions for the next steps regarding your care,” the hospital said in the press release.
MCH continues to work in partnership with DHHS, the press release said. “Know that your community hospital is here for you during this difficult time. Please call your primary care clinician if you have questions or concerns.”
More information and resources about COVID9 can be found at the hospital website www.monadnockhospital.org as well as www.nh.gov/covid19 and www.cdc.gov.
The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person; between people who are in close contact with one another (within about six feet) or through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The Medical Staff at MCH stresses the importance of physical distancing during this critical time. Please stay at home as much as possible and avoid close contact with others. Proper hand hygiene and physical distancing are the best ways to avoid getting COVID-19.
If you have a fever or symptoms of lower respiratory illness (e.g., cough, shortness of breath), please call your primary care clinician. Do not go to your Clinician’s office or to the Emergency Department. You will be triaged over the phone and will be given instruction for next steps regarding your care.
In an effort to conserve resources and best care for our community, MCH has temporarily consolidated primary care offices.
Patients of Monadnock Family Care will temporarily be served at either Monadnock Internal Medicine or Monadnock Regional Pediatrics.
Patients of New Ipswich Family Medicine will temporarily be served by Jaffrey Family Medicine.
Patients of Rindge Family Practice will temporarily be served by Jaffrey Family Medicine.
Due to the high volume of calls, please limit calling your Primary Care Office only if you have an urgent health concern.
To address the nationwide shortages of healthcare supplies, MCH continues to accept donations of unused masks, face shields, goggles, isolation gowns, gloves and hand sanitizer.
“We are very grateful for the generous donations we are receiving from individuals and businesses in our community, it is a tremendous help to our staff. No donation is too small.” McGuire said.
The hospital is asking for only new items still in the package. Donations can be dropped off at Monadnock Community Hospital, Loading Dock #2, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., 452 Old Street Rd, Peterborough. For questions or if you would like to make donation arrangements for drop off at an alternative location or time, please contact Laura Gingras, VP Community Relations and Philanthropy, at 924-4666 or Laura.Gingras@mchmail.org.
According to the CDC, fabric masks are a crisis response option when other supplies have been exhausted. MCH has seen an outpouring of support to make fabric masks to be used to cover clinical masks so that the clinical mask can be reused. The fabric masks will be washed and used again as well.
If you are interested in sewing masks, the pattern and instructions can be found on the MCH website, COVID-19 page, and also on this Facebook page: www.facebook.com/groups/212670823140282. Look for a helpful step-by-step guide in an upcoming edition of the Ledger-Transcript as well. If you have questions, please email or call Sadie Halliday at 660-2321 or Sadie.Halliday@beangroup.com, or Cathy Maki at Cathy.Maki@mchmail.org.
Please do not bring the masks directly to the hospital as they are trying to limit traffic as much as possible. There are five community drop-off locations:
Jaffrey Grade School (School Street, Jaffrey)
First Service Title Company (Main Street, Jaffrey)
Rindge Memorial School (School Street, Rindge)
Peterborough Town Library (Concord Street in Peterborough)
Grapevine Family & Community Resource Center (Aiken Street, Antrim)
Each building has an overhang and there will be a container in which to leave the masks. The masks will be collected daily and delivered to the hospital. When you leave masks, the hospital asks you leave your name, address and phone number so that they may acknowledge your generous contribution.