WINDSOR, ONT. -- Windsor Regional Hospital is allowing changes to the visitor restrictions put in place in early April due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The adjustments are based on a revised provincial directive received this week.

Starting Saturday, WRH is allowing all patients to have one visitor per patient during specified times, with few exceptions. The one visitor is to choose one block of time to visit with the patient and cannot attend all three times throughout the day.

Visitation Times – Visitor to choose one time

  • 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
  • 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
  • 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm (not available in Critical Care)

Program-specific exceptions to the above include the following:

  • Emergency Department – 24 hours, 1 visitor per patient
  • Women in Labour – 24 hours, 1 visitor per patient
  • Paediatric or NICU patients – 24 hours, 1 visitor per patient at a time (2 in total who can relieve each other)
  • Patient who is palliative (except in Critical Care)– 24 hours, 1 visitor at a time (2 in total who can relieve each other)
  • Patient who is palliative or on an extended stay in Critical Care – can access two blocks (10:00 am – 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm), 1 visitor at a time (2 in total who can relieve each other)
  • Patient who is end of life – 24 hours, 2 visitors at a time
  • Cancer Centre - One visitor allowed for in-person physician appointments only.
  • Mental Health – visitation returns to pre-COVID hours of 4 pm to 8 pm, 1 visitor per patient.
  • Renal Program - visitors are not allowed while patients are being started or removed from dialysis.

One visitor at a time, but that individual can change.

Previously, the one visitor allowed had to be a designated visitor for the duration of a patient’s stay. In other words, only the same individual was allowed to visit the patient, not a different individual at a different time.

Under the revised policy, for all of the circumstances described above, designated visitors will be allowed to alternate who is with the patient, so long as the visits remain limited to only one visitor at any one time. No more than two individuals alternate visits for paediatric, NICU and palliative patients.

Visitors will be restricted if they:

  • Are less than 18 years of age
  • Are symptomatic
  • Have been outside of Canada in the last 14 days
  • Have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 days. Proof will need to be provided of all test results.
  • Have had close contact with a confirmed case or probable case of COVID-19
  • Have had close contact with a person with an acute respiratory illness who has been Outside of Canada in the 14 days before their symptom onset

Patient who is COVID-19 positive/suspected COVID-19 case

  • No visitors for patients who are COVID19 positive or suspected COVID-19.

Visitor screening

All visitors must be actively screened prior to entering a health care setting to visit or as a support to a patient. In the event an essential visitor screens positive, they should be referred for further assessment and testing (Assessment Center, WRH Ouellette Campus) and should not be permitted to attend with the patient pending test results. Where possible, services should be deferred until symptoms have resolved.

As a visitor you must wear a mask (medical grade and/or cloth) at all times while in the hospital. You then will be required to wear any additional personal protective equipment (PPE) required by the staff while visiting. There are no exceptions to this requirement and anyone not following will be asked to leave the facility.

In the event that an essential visitor screens positive, the individual should be referred for further assessment and testing (COVID-19 Assessment Centre, WRH Ouellette Campus). Where possible, visits should be deferred until symptoms have resolved.