Visitors are slowly being allowed back at Stevenson Memorial Hospital.
In a statement, officials say they’ve started to phase-in visitors at the Hospital by allowing them to be at the bedside of loved ones, something that started last Monday.
They say careful consideration and planning has been placed on the process, something the hospital is calling “Phase 2.”
In this stage, long-term patients staying 10 days or more, can have a visitor for one hour during a scheduled time two times per week between the hours of 2-6 p.m.
While Stevenson manages the response to COVID-19, the phased approach will allow officials to control the flow through the hospital with a booked visiting system.
Visitors must be over 16 years of age and may include, are not limited to a family member, caregiver or support person.
Priority will be given to family members of palliative patients or those that have extenuating circumstances.
In addition, officials say all visitors will be screened at the main entrance and only allowed in if they screen negative for the virus.
Masks are mandatory for the entire visit, and no visitors will not be allowed to use common areas of the hospital.
Visitors must also stay at the bedside for the entire time they visit and aren’t to leave the hospital and return within the scheduled visit time.
The next phase will include visitors for short and long-term stay patients as well as for Emergency Department and outpatient visits.