At Memorial Health System, we're continuously working to monitor and respond to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak to ensure we meet the needs of our patients and community. This page is designed to keep you up-to-date on information regarding coronavirus and actions we are taking to protect our patients, employees, and those we serve. Please check back often for the latest information. If you have any questions about rules, regulations, or proper protocols for a clinical visit, please call the clinic's office associated with your questions or call our main line at (740) 374-1400.
Memorial Health System will follow all government regulations on the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. Currently, the vaccine is available to anyone over 65 years of age, except for those who were born with or have early childhood conditions that are carried into adulthood which put them at a higher risk for adverse outcomes due to COVID-19. These conditions include:
- Alpha and beta thalassemia
- Born with severe heart defects, requiring regular specialized medical care
- Cerebral palsy
- Cystic fibrosis
- Down syndrome
- Epilepsy with continuing seizures; hydrocephaly; microcephaly, and other severe neurological disorders
- Muscular dystrophy
- Phenylketonuria (PKU), Tay-Sachs, and other rare, inherited metabolic disorders
- Severe asthma requiring hospitalization in the past year
- Severe type 1 diabetes requiring hospitalization in the past year
- Sickle cell anemia
- Solid organ transplant candidates and recipients
- Spina bifida
- Turner syndrome, fragile X syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and other severe genetic disorders??
We are working diligently to distribute the vaccine to as many people as we can. We understand the importance of this vaccine, and want to make sure each and every person who signs up receives it. Unfortunately, our supplies continue to be limited, and those on the waitlist may face a long waiting period as our stock catches up with the high demand. We encourage those interested in the vaccine to sign up for our waitlist, as well as explore other options for receiving the vaccine.
If you are on our waitlist and receive the vaccine elsewhere, please call us at (740) 373-5892 to have your name removed from our list. This saves us time and helps us contact others in need of the vaccine as quickly as possible.
To be added to our wait list, click on the sign-up button below and complete the form. You will be contacted directly when an appointment is available.
Our COVID-19 Vaccination Drive Thru Clinic will be located at Wayne Street Medical Campus (on the east side, where primary care and pediatric offices are)?. Our clinics are currently full. Once we receive additional vaccines, we will be calling and scheduling appointments from the eligible individuals on the wait list (sign up above).
We will continue to have more clinics and share details here and on social media when they become available. In the meantime, you may sign up for our wait list using the button above, and we will call you to schedule an appointment as time slots become available.
As COVID-19 vaccinations become available, those who are eligible to receive them will be determined by federal and state government guidelines.
Right now, the state of Ohio is in Phase 1 of its vaccination program. This means that supplies are limited and will be used for specific, critical populations, including those who are most at risk.
We’re excited to be able to provide our community with this important vaccine and are here to answer your questions and concerns. If you have any health issues that you worry may cause a reaction, it’s always a good idea to speak to your provider, but as a first stop, here’s a link to the CDC’s Fact sheet about the COVID-19 vaccines. To read it, click here.
Why you should get the COVID-19 vaccine:
- The vaccines are highly effective. In clinical trials, both the Pfizer-BioNTech and the Moderna vaccines were 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 illness.
- The vaccines are safe. COVID-19 vaccines have met the safety standards as other common vaccines—like the flu, polio, mumps, tetanus and others—that you and your families rely on to stay healthy. They do not contain any live COVID-19 virus, but instead give instructions for our cells to start building an immune response.
- They will help us get back to normal. The vaccines, along with other measures like mask wearing, social distancing, and hand washing, are the tools that will help us get past this pandemic and get back to enjoying life as normal.
What are potential side effects of this vaccine?
- Local injection site reactions such as: pain, erythema, swelling, lymphadenopathy
- Systemic reactions: fever, headache, fatigue, myalgia, arthralgia, nausea/ vomiting, chills
- Severe allergic reactions: anaphylaxis, angioedema
*Local injection site and systemic reactions were the main side effects that were encountered.
Will I be charged for the vaccination?
The government is providing the vaccine free of charge and health plans are required to cover the cost of administration, leaving no cost-share to patient responsibility.
Is there anything I need to do prior to arriving for the vaccination?
Yes. We encourage patients to wear clothing that makes access to the upper arm easy without having to exit their vehicle.
What if I received a recent positive test for COVID-19?
If you have had any sort of vaccination or tested positive for COVID-19, you'll need to wait at least 14 days from that time to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Why am I being asked if I have certain comorbidities before I get the vaccine? Such as heart disease, immunocompromised state, asthma, and other conditions? Are these reasons to not get the vaccine?
These are questions that is recommended to ask before the vaccine is given. Generally, to initiate discussion regarding the vaccine and these disease states. These questions can be used to track how many patients with these disease states get the vaccine. Having these comorbidities is not a reason to avoid the vaccine. Should the patient have additional questions regarding their personal medical condition, they should consult their personal provider.
I already had COVID-19 and recovered do I still need to get the vaccine?
The CDC cannot comment on whether people who had COVID-19 should get a COVID-19 vaccine at this time. However, the EUA (Emergency Use Authorization) for the Moderna vaccine does not require antibody testing for COVID-19 before the patient can receive the vaccine.
Can an mRNA vaccine like Moderna of Pfizer-BioNTech cause COVID-19?
No. An mRNA vaccine is not a virus and cannot cause disease. Because it activates the immune system, it can cause mild symptoms in some people (e.g., fatigue, achiness, fever).
Why would a vaccine be needed if we can do other things, like social distancing and wearing masks to prevent the virus that causes COVID-19 from spreading?
Stopping a pandemic requires using all the tools available. Vaccines work with your immune system so your body will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed. Other steps, like covering your mouth and nose with a mask and staying at least six feet away from others, help reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others. Together, COVID-19 vaccination and following CDC’s recommendations to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from COVID-19.
The more people get vaccinated against COVID-19, the safer we’ll all be—you, and the ones you love.
As Memorial Health System continues to support the efforts of slowing the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), we now require everyone wear a face mask at our facilities beginning July 1, 2020. Face coverings can be any of the masks the CDC (Centers of Disease and Control) supports - (sew or non-sew) cloth, surgical, or N95 masks. We ask our patients and visitors to bring masks from home. If you do not have a mask, our Safe Care Navigators will provide you with one.
Please follow guidelines from the CDC in proper use and wearing of face coverings. Details include making sure both your nose and mouth are covered and how to properly wash cloth masks. Learn more on the CDC's website.
Interested in donating masks?We are accepting cloth masks donations! If you're interested, please contact Cindy Hall at chall@mhsystem.org or (740) 374-1778.
Please note: We are asking that everyone at our facilities wears a mask at all times, including patients who are interacting with their providers.Our drive thru COVID-19 Assessment Clinic is open to anyone with respiratory (flu or COVID-19) symptoms. At our drive thru clinic, we are able to assess all patients presenting with fever and/or upper respiratory symptoms and test those appropriate, all while patients stay safely in their vehicle. Symptoms of upper respiratory illness include:
- Cough
- Nasal congestion
- Runny nose
- Shortness of breath
- Sore throat
If you are going to our clinic for COVID-19 symptoms, you can speed up registration by going to mhsystem.org/COVIDregister. This lets us know you are coming. This will allow our experts to add you to a schedule and electronically send a link via text message or email to complete your registration. Patients have the opportunity to digitally register at the clinic. You must complete the full registration after receiving the link before pulling into line for testing.
On arrival, please follow signage instructions. A security guard will be present in a tent to help with any questions and will direct you to park in the registration area first. While parked, you will see instructions to text a number to receive a link to register for COVID testing. You will receive a text with a link to register for the clinic. Do not pull into the drive thru line until you receive confirmation of your registration and a text saying to get in line is given This allows you to complete your registration from the comfort of your vehicle before getting in line, and doing so helps our line move quickly and efficiently with minimal contact. We ask that you are patient and considerate of our team and other patients during this busy time. Pulling your vehicle into the line before registration is complete costs more time per patient and reduces the number of patients we may see in a day.
If you are at the clinic for an outpatient COVID-19 test, please use the line for the assessment rather than going into Physicians Care Express. If you are experiencing more serious symptoms, we encourage patients go to the nearest ER for treatment.
Type of Test
Our Assessment Clinic sends PCR COVID tests out to a lab for analysis, therefore results are not instant. Our providers will give instructions and inform patients at the time of testing as to when and how they can expect results to be obtained.
Location
800 Pike Street
Marietta, Ohio
(In front of Walmart and behind Marietta Physicians Care Express)
Hours
Monday - Saturday; 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Please Note: Marietta and Belpre Physicians Care Express are still accepting non-coronavirus related patents for their express care needs inside their office. Their hours of operation are every day from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
COVID-19 Patient Fact Sheet - Quest LDT
COVID-19 HCP Fact Sheet for Providers
COVID-19 Testing Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers: Cepheid
COVID-19 Testing Fact Sheet for Patients: Cepheid
FS HCP Roche Anti-SARS CoV-2
FS Recipients Roche Anti-SARS CoV-2
Fact Sheets Abbott ID Now
COVID-19 Assessment Clinic Discharge Packet
EVEN IN A PANDEMIC, YOU CAN FEEL SAFE. At every one of our facilities, you can expect the following measures being taken.
MASKS REQUIRED IN ALL PUBLIC SPACES, ALL FACILITIES - We're stocked with safety supplies and have personal protective equipment (PPE) including masks for all patients, visitors, and team members at our facilities.
TAKING OUR TEMPERATURES-EVERY DAY - Every employee you come into contact with in our facilities is required to take a daily log of their temperature as part of our commitment to you and to each other.
SOCIAL DISTANCING - We're reducing the number in our waiting rooms, limiting visitors, adjusting seating, marking floors for safe distancing in outpatient areas, and offering the chance to wait in your car until your appointment when possible. Plexiglass shields and glass doors at our check-in and check-out areas also keep you distanced from our team members.
CHANGING CARE DELIVERY - Take comfort knowing your safety is our priority. COVID-19 positive and symptomatic patients are carefully quarantined away from patients and visitors in our hospital. Our COVID Assessment Clinic testing is in a separate location, away from clinic areas. We're also offering telehealth visits for appropriate appointments, so you can get the care you need from the comfort of your own home.
PRE-SURGERY SCREENING - All of our surgical patients, with the exception of interventional spine and joint surgery, will be tested for COVID-19, unless they've had COVID-19 within the last 90 days and are asymptomatic. This is for the safety of all our patients, doctors, and support staff.
ADDITIONAL CLEANING - If you've visited our facilities in the past, you know that cleanliness has always been one of our top priorities. But now, we're taking extraordinary new steps to be sure there is thorough, frequent, and ongoing cleaning measures.
- 24 Hour Nurse Line: (844) 474-6522
- MemorialCareNow App: Download on Google Play and Apple Store or memorialcarenow.com
- MyMemorialChart: mhsystem.org/mymemorialchart
- Telehealth visits - Medicare and insurance companies are allowing the use of telephone or smart phone telehealth visits. Call your provider's office and ask if this is an option for you!
Given Governor DeWine's recommendation to open more surgical services and encouragement to seek health care, Memorial Health System wants to share changes and enhancements that will continue to ensure our community can seek healthcare safely.
As members of our community and as health care advocates for all our patients, we have to make important decisions for our area’s health and safety; this is especially true now. We understand the importance of an outside support network composed of close friends and family for recovery from illness. We also know the best care is given in partnership with our patients and their loved ones. However, as your partner in health, we feel it is our responsibility to take all necessary actions to protect our patients, employees, and community.
Beginning on Monday, February 15, 2021, we are allowing one visitor per patient per day between 12 and 7 p.m. at our hospitals. This includes Marietta Memorial Hospital, Selby General Hospital, and Sistersville General Hospital.
At our clinics and other locations, each patient is allowed one support person in the office. If you have any questions about our visitation policies, please call and clarify with your provider’s office prior to arrival.
We are grateful to our community for their support and understanding during this unprecedented time. To keep up-to-date on the latest policies and guidelines in our facilities regarding COVID-19, check this web page often and follow us on our social media channels – Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Many community businesses and individuals have shown tremendous support to our employees and the needs we have to care for patients during this time. Thank you to all who have generously given and supported our frontlines. Many have requested the ability to donate to support our employees in need, or to support funding for resources needed. Thank you for this support.