Nuvance Health is the first Hudson Valley hospital system to bring back a pause on visitation.

Families had their last chance to visit loved ones in the hospital Wednesday night before visitation was halted once again on Thursday.

Nuvance Health released a statement that says, "As COVID-19 cases are on the rise, this is an important way to limit the risk of possible exposure to you, your family, our staff and the community. We will make every effort to keep patients connected with loved ones.”

Nuvance suggests people use technology to keep in touch remotely, as that will be more convenient and less stressful for everyone.

This pause on visitation includes inpatient, emergency departments, medical practices and ambulatory services.

Infectious disease specialist Dr. Harish Moorjani says decisions like this may be made at more hospitals to prevent COVID-19 from going in or out. The call, he says will largely depend on the vaccination rates and COVID-19 levels in the communities they're in and how many COVID-19 patients each hospital has.

"We wouldn't be having this discussion if our vaccination rate were in the 85%-90% range. However, having said that, we're only at 60% nationwide. In New York, we're at 65%,” Dr. Moorjani says.

Visitors will still be allowed for patients under 21, maternity and NICU patients, as well as people with disabilities and in end-of-life circumstances.