Newark, NJ – Saint Michael’s Medical Center has reinstated limited visiting hours nearly a year after restricting visitors to the hospital as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Beginning today, visiting hours will resume from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. for all nursing units.
Visiting hours for critical care are from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Visitors are advised to be aware of the following guidelines for visiting:
- Visitors will be limited to one visitor at a time per patient
- NO visitors for patients with confirmed Covid-19
- Patients with rule out COVID-19 – no visitors until Covid-19 test results are available
- In the Emergency Department, patients are allowed one support person
- Patients coming for an elective procedure may be accompanied by one support person
All visitors will be screened upon entry to the hospital and be required to wear a face mask at all times while in the facility. Hand hygiene and social distancing will be enforced.
Visitor restrictions were first put into place at all hospitals in New Jersey in March 2020 after a surge of coronavirus cases in the state. In the fall, the New Jersey Hospital Association adopted a statewide color-coded system built on data in four key areas: COVID-19 levels in the community; the level of hospitalized COVID-19 patients; staffing levels; and supplies of personal protective equipment.
New Jersey has been at level yellow for the past several weeks, which limits visitors to one at a time. Before that, New Jersey was under level red, in which no visitors were allowed, with limited exceptions.
For the first time since the color-coded system was developed, the entire state was green last week, signaling a loosening of visitor restrictions.
“We are glad to see that we are in the green zone and can once again allow visitors in our hospital,” said Saint Michael’s CEO Dr. Alan Sickles. “We know how important it is for patients to have emotional support from their loved ones.”