Kingston Health Sciences tightens visitor restrictions due Omicron variant of COVID-19

Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) is putting a temporary pause on visitors as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 drives cases in the Kingston region.

As in previous waves of the pandemic, the hospital organization will be asking visitors to connect with most patients staying overnight in the hospital via telephone or virtual visits until further notice.

KHSC has offered the following exceptions to this rule:

• patients having surgery may have one family visitor the day of surgery
• patients in labour may have a partner accompany them for the duration of labour and delivery
• children may have up to two registered parent/adult caregivers
• babies in the NICU may have two parents registered to visit
• patients who are palliative or at the end of life
• patients in critical care/intensive care units
• patients from or awaiting long-term care homes
• patients in mental health units
• a small number of patients who have specific clinical diagnoses or conditions, like those with diagnosed dementia or significant disabilities).

“We recognize this is upsetting news for both patients and families, however we are the only hospital between Ottawa and Toronto that provides certain types of highly specialized care and we must all work to keep our hospital and our community safe from COVID-19,” said Elizabeth Bardon, vice president and COVID-19 incident commander at KHSC.

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The decision will be re-evaluated on a weekly basis, Bardon said.

Outpatients should also come to their appointments alone and have their loved one join the appointment by telephone, KHSC said.

Anyone required to isolate due to a positive COVID-19 test or who has been exposed to a person with COVID-19 should reschedule their clinic appointment.