COVID-19 Visitor Policy Changes Took Effect April 11

With COVID-19 cases in our community continuing to stabilize, Methodist Health System infectious disease physicians and affiliate leaders have made the following changes to current hospital and clinic visitor policies.

The changes took effect Monday, April 11. 

These recommendations are based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and will align with other community health care organizations.

Updated Visitor Policies for Hospitals and Clinics

All adult and child visitors/support persons to any Methodist Health System facility will continue to be screened and must be capable of wearing well-fitted, hospital-grade, multilayer procedural masks. Fabric masks, gaiters, vented masks, face shields and bandanas are not allowed. Appropriate masks will be provided at entrances. Fabric masks over surgical masks and nonvented N95/KN95 masks may be allowed.

• There are no restrictions on the number of visitors who may visit non-COVID patients during regular visiting hours. Visitors may access all public areas and do not need to leave the hospital immediately after visiting patients.
   
• Lab-confirmed COVID-positive patients will be permitted to have up to two fully vaccinated visitors per day during regular visiting hours. Visitors should not access public areas during or after their visit and should leave the hospital after visiting the patient.
   
• Visitors to COVID-positive rooms will be required to show proof of vaccination. People are considered fully vaccinated:
  • Two weeks after their second dose of a two-dose series (Pfizer or Moderna)
  • Two weeks after a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson)
• The Emergency Department (ED) allows up to two visitors/support persons to stay with an ED patient.

Critical care, NICU and other specialty units may have additional visitor-specific guidelines.

Patients receiving end-of-life care as determined by the care team are an exception to the policies above.

Additional exceptions may be discussed with the facility's administrative personnel or infection prevention experts.
 

Methodist Physicians Clinics, Hospital-Owned Clinics, Outpatient Diagnostics

There are no restrictions on the number of support persons allowed to accompany a patient.

Surgical Care Settings

Two support persons are permitted in the waiting areas during regular visiting hours at hospital locations.

Inpatient Behavioral Health Settings

Two adult support persons per day are permitted.