NMC joins other hospitals in asking that patients only come to the Emergency Department if you need emergency medical care.

Normal COVID symptoms in themselves do not automatically constitute an emergency, particularly for those who are vaccinated. Primary Care practices and Urgent Care locations are the proper location for non-emergency needs. This ensures that emergency medical care is available to those who need it without delay.

Additionally:

• If you know you are COVID+ and are having a medical emergency, please call 911 and do not hesitate to come to the NMC Emergency Department. If there is an opportunity for someone to call 802 524 1037 ahead of your arrival and let the ED staff know you are on your way. That will allow proper preparations to reduce avoidable delays in getting you to an appropriate care setting.
• Get vaccinated from COVID-19. It helps reduce transmission and more importantly, significantly reduces severity, hospitalizations, and deaths.
• Continue to use best practices for preventing the spread of COVID-19, including: masking, handwashing, social distancing, and avoiding crowds.
• Treat our staff with kindness and respect as they care for you.

NMC remains a safe place to come for care, thanks to the incredible work of our remarkable team. We continue to see strong demand for medical services. Some of this is COVID related, much of it is not. Like all employers, COVID does impact our staffing across the organization including our registration and care teams. Our staff are working hard to reduce wait times and they appreciate your understanding and patience.