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NEW HAVEN, CT (WFSB) — Hospitals across the state are restricting visitors due to rising cases in coronavirus.
Yale-New Haven Hospital, St. Francis Hospital, and Trinity Health of New England banned visitors this week.
Yale-New Haven made its announcement on Tuesday.
The limitations impact both the hospital and outpatient facilities.
As of Tuesday, there was no visitation to hospitalized patients due to the highly contagious nature of COVID-19.
There may be exceptions, but the hospitals said they’ll be rare.
“Among the visitor exceptions that can be made will be for maternity patients, children who are patients, patients for whom end-of-life is imminent, NICU patients, and patients with disabilities, such as altered mental status; physical, intellectual or cognitive disabilities; communication barriers; or behavioral concerns,” the hospital said.
All visitors who do enter the hospital will be screened for evidence of the illness by the staff at the front desk. Should questions arise, front desk staff will contact clinical leadership for guidance.
“Visitors who are sick will not be permitted to enter the hospital,” the hospital said. “This is without exception.”
“We know in-person visits provide support and reassurance and we understand that visitation restrictions can be very unsettling to patients and family members alike,” the hospital said.
Saint Francis closed to visitors as well, with some exceptions for compassionate care situations, including: Children admitted to the hospital, Maternity, Hospice Care/End of Life, A companion for facilitation of care.
All visitors who are permitted will be screened prior to entry.
Trinity Health of New England also announced on Tuesday that Saint Francis went back to its ‘Phase 1’ of its visitation policy.
“We recognize that the care and support of loved ones is important. Please know that the safety of our patients and colleagues is of the utmost importance. With proper authorization in place, we commit to communicating with family and friends as frequently as possible,” Trinity Health of New England said in a statement.
Hospital officials did say they have more technology now to allow patients to talk with loved ones.
“It’s a combination of wanting to make sure that we keep families safe, patients who are in the hospital safe,” said Ena Williams, senior vice president of Yale-New Haven Hospital.
“We have a more robust virtual platform that we’re utilizing now, based again on our experiences,” said Syed Hussein, regional chief clinical officer for Trinity Health New England.
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