Beginning Oct. 1, visitors to the hospital’s inpatient units must be at least 12 years of age and symptom-free to visit. In the past Children’s seasonal child-visitor policy applied only to critical care units like the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) and Stem Cell Transplant Unit. The policy now applies to all inpatient units.
“We are taking this action for the benefit of our patients during respiratory illness season,” said Delphene Hobby-Noland, director of Infection Control at Children’s. “We are literately talking life and death in some cases and the well-being of the children in our care is our highest priority.
“That’s why we’re asking parents and other visitors to make plans to have siblings and other children safely stay with another adult while they are visiting Children’s or staying with their children in the hospital.”
Children’s generally allows visitation daily from 9 a.m. till 9 p.m. All visitors must register and wear hospital-issued identification before visiting any area. As always, any visitor experiencing the following symptoms are asked to postpone their visit:
- fever in the last 24 hours
- runny nose
- cough
- sore throat
- been exposed to anyone with flu like symptoms