GREENVILLE, NC (WITN) – Vidant Health is tightening restrictions on visitors due to the increased spread of COVID-19.
The hospital’s system says positivity rates for those tested have steadily increased since Thanksgiving, and are now around 22%.
Vidant Roanoke-Chowan already prohibits visitors both in the emergency room and inpatient units, while Outer Banks Hospital will begin doing so on Monday.
Other Vidant hospitals will have the following restrictions from Monday at 5 am:
| Department | Hours | Visitor details |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitalization departments, Including Surgical Patients |
5 pm to 9 pm | One (1) healthy adult visitor, screened and masked at all times, may visit between 5:00 pm and 9:00 pm. The visitor should stay in the patient’s room, unless they visit the cafe. The visitor cannot leave and enter again, or exchange with another visitor during the visiting hours of the day. |
| Children’s Hospital | Opening hours | Maynard Children’s Hospital and pediatric patients in all Vidant inpatient facilities receive two (2) caregivers for the child beside the bed. Two (2) designated guardians are identified by the child’s legal guardian upon admission and may remain at the bedside for the duration of the child’s stay. Visits by brothers are not allowed at this time; the health team will work with families to facilitate siblings’ virtual visits, as appropriate. For pediatric or end-of-life palliative care, the additional visit will be considered with leadership approval based on the child’s needs. |
| Work and Childbirth / Maternity | Opening hours | One (1) healthy designated partner tracked and masked at all times. The partner should stay by the bed, unless they visit the cafe. |
| Outpatient surgical procedures requiring sedation or anesthesia | Day of procedure | One (1) healthy adult visitor screened and masked at all times can wait with the patient until he proceeds to surgery or procedure. The visitor can return at the time of discharge. |
| Exceptions | Hours | Visitor details |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Departments | Visitors not allowed | Visitors are not allowed. Patients who are minors, or who fall under the ADA guidelines, or require a visitor for clinical care or safety, may have one (1) healthy adult visitor tracked and masked at all times. The visitor cannot exchange with another visitor during the day’s visiting hours. |
| Medical Practices and Ambulatory |
Visitors not allowed | Visitors are not allowed. Patients who are minors, or who fall under the ADA guidelines, or require a visitor for clinical care or safety, may have one (1) healthy adult visitor tracked and masked at all times. The visitor cannot exchange with another visitor during the day’s visiting hours. |
| End of life | Opening hours | Family members who are examined and masked can visit with guidance from the care team and must call the unit for guidance. |
| Behavioral health | Visitors not allowed | Visitors are not allowed. Ask the nurse at the behavioral unit for accommodations regarding virtual visits. |
| COVID-19 Positive Patients | Visitors not allowed | Visitors are not allowed. Ask the nurse for accommodations regarding virtual visits. |
Vidant says that all visitors will have to go through a screening process and must obey requirements such as wearing a mask, washing their hands at the entrance and maintaining social distance.
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