Greenwich Hospital Revises Visitation Policy

GREENWICH, CT — Greenwich Hospital will begin allowing visitors, on a limited basis, to its main campus, hospital officials announced Wednesday.

In a statement, officials said all visitors to the hospital must be at least 18 years old, receive a visitor pass at the information desk and wear a mask for the entire duration of their stay. (To sign up for Greenwich breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

Magaly Olivero, the hospital's public relations coordinator, said visitors will also be screened before entering the facility, during which they will be asked a number of questions, such as whether they have symptoms of the coroanvirus or if they have recently been exposed to a patient who has tested positive for the virus, also referred to as COVID-19.

"If they answer yes to these screening questions, they cannot visit," Olivero said in an email to Patch.

She also noted visitors will not be tested for the virus when they come to the hospital, just asked to answer the screening questions.

Visitors are not allowed to visit COVID-19 patients due to "continued concerns" regarding the spread of the virus. The hospital also continues to encourage families, friends and loved ones to use electronic devices and applications to keep in contact with patients.

The following guidelines were also provided by the hospital Wednesday:

• Inpatient Visitation: Hospitalized patients may have one visitor from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Visitors must go directly to the patient room and return the visitor pass upon leaving.

• Ambulatory Surgery and Perioperative Procedure Visitation: One visitor may accompany a patient coming for same-day surgery or a perioperative procedure. The visitor must remain with the patient or in the waiting area. If a patient requires an overnight stay, the visitor must leave the hospital when the patient goes in for surgery and may return during visiting hours (2 p.m. to 6 p.m.).

• Labor & Deliver and Maternity Visitation: One visitor may stay for the duration of the mother's hospital stay.

• Pediatric Visitation: One visitor may stay for the duration of the pediatric patient's hospital stay.

Exceptions will be made for patients at "imminent end of life" and for patients with special needs who may need a support person with them to facilitate care, officials said.