As of Friday, Mary Washington and Stafford hospitals in Fredericksburg and Stafford, respectively, moved to what it’s calling visitation red status. That means no one may visit patients in either hospital.
“With the drastic rise in COVID-19 cases in our community and under our care in our hospitals and facilities, it is in the best interest for the safety of our staff, providers, and patients to restrict visitation at this time,” says Christopher Newman, MD, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Medical Officer for Mary Washington Healthcare.
There are a few exceptions to the no-visitors rule:
- Minor patients may have two designated caregivers (parent or guardian) throughout their hospital stay, but only one parent or guardian in the facility at a time; minor patients in the emergency department, outpatient facilities (such as doctor’s offices, imaging centers, etc.), or same-day procedure may have one parent or guardian with them for their visit.
- Individuals with disabilities may have one designated caregiver throughout their hospital stay; individuals with disabilities in the emergency department, outpatient facilities (such as doctor’s offices, imaging centers, etc.), or same-day procedures may have one parent or guardian with them for their visit.
- Patients giving birth can have one designated support person throughout their stay.
- Clergy may continue to provide brief supportive visits with prior approval by the pastoral care department.
- Compassionate care visits may be approved as determined by the patient’s care team.
The hospitals have restricted visitation since the start of the pandemic in March of this year. However, full restrictions have not been in place for several months.
“COVID-19 cases have nearly tripled in the last week,” says Dr. Newman. “We know that restricting visitation creates added stress for our patients and their loved ones. We made this decision knowing it is for everyone’s safety. Our team is prepared to support our patients and their families in connecting through phone calls and video chats.”
MWHC will continue to assess visitation restrictions based on community cases and COVID-19 patient volumes. Visitation status and restrictions can be found online at mwhc.com.
