May 17, 2024
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Falling COVID numbers and rising vaccination rates inspire hospitals to update their visitor policies

Some restrictions, like facemasks in most instances, still apply

By Denise M. Baran-Unland

Kerry Gerding, a registered nurse and infection preventionist at Morris Hospital, removes visitor restrictions signage on June 21 as the hospital returns to its pre-COVD visitor guidelines. Masks are still required for everyone entering a Morris Hospital facility per CDC recommendations for health care settings. (Photo provided)

Now that more people are vaccinated and COVID-19 cases are falling, are hospital have also updated their visitor policies.

Here’s the most recent guidelines for Morris Hospital, Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox and AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet.

Morris Hospital

As of Monday, Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers has returned to its pre-COVID visitor guidelines and visitors will now be able to access all public areas of the hospital, including the gift shop and cafeteria.

However, everyone coming to the hospital must wear a facemask, whether or not they are vaccinated, per Centers for Disease Control recommendations for health care settings, a news release from the hospital said.

Anyone entering Morris Hospital or any Morris Hospital facility will receive a temperature check and answer screening questions. Visiting hours in many cases will also be slightly shorter than in the past and visitors may not visit patients with COVID-19, the release said.

Most patients will be able to have two visitors at a time age 6 and older. However, visitors to the intensive care unit must be at least 12 and siblings of newborns may visit and be of any age, the release said.

Patients in the family birthing suites may have one support person and up to two visitors. People may request special visiting arrangements for patients age 17 and younger, patients who have reached end of life and “patients with an intellectual and/or developmental disability that impairs understanding, judgment and decision-making, " the news release said.

For more information on Morris Hospital’s updated visitor policies, visit morrishospital.org.

Silver Cross Hospital

As of June 15, non-COVID patients, patients in labor and delivery and neonate and pediatric patients and emergency room patients at Silver Cross may have two visitors at one time, according to the Silver Cross website.

In general, visitors must screen negative for COVID-19 each day and they must wear facemasks at all times, even when they are in patient rooms, the website said.

Visitors in labor and delivery must also be asymptomatic. Labor and delivery patients may also have one certified doula with her, who also screens negative and is asymptomatic, the website said.

Patients who are having an outpatient procedure or surgery may also have two visitors accompany them. These visitors must remain in the designated waiting area, wear facemasks and practice social distance, the website said.

For more information on Silver Cross Hospital’s new visitor policies, visit silvercross.org.

AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center

The hospital is currently reviewing its visitors policy, according to spokesperson Timothy Nelson. But for now, only one visitor per patient is allowed. Visitors must be 18 years old and up and wear facemasks at all times, even in the patient’s room, the website said.

Visitors may not visit COVID positive patients, patients who are being tested for COVID-19 or patients in behavioral health. Visitors must remain in the patient’s room, although the hospital is permitting limited access to the cafeteria and the chapel, its website said.

For more information on AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center’s current visitor policies, visit amitahealth.org/visitor-restrictions.