On Thursday, March 12, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan held a press conference mandating several actions within the state of Maryland. Topics included activating the National Guard, limiting hospital visitations, and many closures, including schools for the next two weeks. UPMC Western Maryland is working closely with local, state and regional agencies to comply with this mandate.

Over the next 24 hours, UPMC Western Maryland will be implementing:

• A plan for staff at UPMC Western Maryland who may be dealing with critical childcare needs while schools have closed.
• Visitation limitations throughout our hospital based on the state requirements.

As coronavirus continues to gain media attention, social media hoaxes and disreputable news outlets are taking advantage of the situation to spread rumors and spam. To date, there are no confirmed coronavirus cases in the communities UPMC serves. If there is ever a local case, official confirmation will come from the Centers for Disease Control, the state Department of Health or local health departments.

If you suspect you have COVID-19 and are not having high fever or breathing problems, call your primary care physician – to get initial advice. Doing this from home is best for all and limits spread of any infection; if needed, we can guide you safely to the next care site. If you have high fever or breathing trouble, go to your emergency department – UPMC sites are ready to provide care.

The public is also encouraged to keep up on the latest news at www.cdc.gov and www.UPMCWesternMaryland.com and by following UPMC Western Maryland on Facebook and Twitter.

About UPMC

A $21 billion health care provider and insurer, Pittsburgh-based UPMC is inventing new models of patient-centered, cost-effective, accountable care. The largest nongovernmental employer in Pennsylvania, UPMC integrates 89,000 employees, 40 hospitals, 700 doctors’ offices and outpatient sites, and a more than 3.7 million-member Insurance Services Division, the largest medical insurer in western Pennsylvania. In the most recent fiscal year, UPMC contributed $1.2 billion in benefits to its communities, including more care to the region’s most vulnerable citizens than any other health care institution, and paid $587 million in federal, state, and local taxes. Working in close collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, UPMC shares its clinical, managerial, and technological skills worldwide through its innovation and commercialization arm, UPMC Enterprises, and through UPMC International. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside on its annual Honor Roll of America’s Best Hospitals and ranks UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh on its Honor Roll of America’s Best Children’s Hospitals. For more information, go to UPMC.com.