All Regina hospitals will loosen family presence and visitor restrictions around COVID-19 as of Monday, the Saskatchewan Health Authority announced.
The hospitals include both the Regina General Hospital and Pasqua Hospital.
“The recovery phase is intended to be a safe progression towards pre-pandemic open family presence, which welcomed essential family/support persons at any time to support patient care,” SHA said in press release Monday.
“The SHA will return to open family presence as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Guidelines around the recovery phase are as follows:
- There will be no limits on the number of essential family/support persons or visitors that can be designated for each patient. Patients and families will still be asked to consider limiting the number of individuals who are designated, recognizing that every visit to an acute care facility brings with it the risk of exposure or transmission of COVID-19.
- Because children are not able to be vaccinated, there is an increased risk in maternal and children’s units. Please consider limiting the number of designates to no more than four in these areas, meaning two essential family/support persons can be present at a time indoors and up to four essential family/support persons can be present at the same time in these areas: intensive care; end-of-life or palliative care.
- Timing of in-person visits may be subject to scheduling limitations of the unit. Collaborate with the care team to arrange visits in advance whenever possible.
- There will be no limit on the amount of family/support persons or visitors that can be present at a time outdoors.
- Due to Emergency Department capacity and demands, they will remain at Level 1 Family Presence (one support person is able to accompany the patient into the Emergency Department).
Visiting hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. will remain in place during the recovery phase.