Hospital: Please take safety precautions

As you’re enjoying Sweetwater County’s open spaces as part of your social distancing, it’s important to take precautions and extra safety measures.

As COVID-19 cases continue to mount, the staff at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County ask that you remain active, but be careful.

“Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals around the country, including our own, are preparing for volumes of patients like we’ve never experienced before,” said Dr. Tony Pedri, an orthopedic surgeon at Sweetwater Memorial specializing in orthopedic trauma care. “With our regional partners and metropolitan trauma centers experiencing such high volumes of patients, our ability to care for you locally is more important than ever.”

The hospital’s surgery department has implemented temporary measures “to adapt and provide you with the best possible care during these unprecedented times,” Pedri said. “We have made the difficult decision to postpone all elective procedures that can safely wait, while continually evaluating all surgeries on a patient-by-patient basis.”

While elective surgeries will be placed on hold, Sweetwater Memorial remains committed to providing expert, uninterrupted care to those who may sustain injuries.

“Unfortunately, accidents don’t take vacations, even during a pandemic,” he said. “We want to assure you that our resources and expertise are here for you when you need them the most.

“While many of us choose to spend time in the wide-open spaces of Wyoming, please take extra precautions, especially while riding motorcycles, ATVs and bicycles, or simply staying in the yard playing on the trampoline,” Pedri said.

“The situation is evolving daily, and we continue to make changes and adapt accordingly,” he said. “I want to reassure you that our No. 1 goal at Sweetwater Memorial is to continue to provide the highest level of care to everyone in Sweetwater County and the surrounding areas. These are difficult times. As a community, we will remain strong and get through this together.”

The healthcare professionals at Sweetwater Memorial encourage everyone to maintain social distancing, remain active and take precautions.