Morris Hospital changing visitor guidelines due to rising COVID cases

Morris Hospital has announced that children under the age of 18 will not be permitted to visit patients at the hospital effective Aug. 27.

Support people will also be limited to one person age 18 or older, also effective Aug. 27, for patients coming to Morris Hospital for any reason: the emergency department; an outpatient procedure, test, surgery or therapy session; immediate care and convenient care visits; and visits to doctor’s offices.

Two patients ages 18 and up are still permitted for inpatient visiting. Visitors are still not permitted for patients who are hospitalized with COVID-19 except in certain circumstances: COVID patients are age 17 or younger; at end of life; or “intellectually and/or developmentally disabled or diagnosed with an impairment that affects understanding, judgment, or decision-making,” the news release said.

Facemasks covering then nose and mouth are still required for everyone entering Morris Hospital or a Morris Hospital facility, as per guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control, the release said.

Visitors will also receive temperature checks and questions about their current symptoms. They must also apply hand sanitizer. Any visitor with a postive screening or refusal to comply may not visit, the release said.

Visitors are always encouraged to review the visiting guidelines on the hospital website at morrishospital.org before coming to the hospital to visit a patient.