Coping with a new surge of COVID-19 infections and critically ill patients, local hospitals are restricting visitors and adapting policies to deal with an ever-evolving pandemic.
St. Francis Hospital banned most visitors on Tuesday, except those facilitating care and visiting children and patients in maternity and hospice care. All visitors must be 18 or older, immediate family members and/or patient representatives and experiencing no symptoms of illness.
“These restrictions are in place for the protection of our patients and colleagues, and following guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention,” Saint Francis said in a statement.
Other hospitals in the region with new visitor restrictions include Backus, Natchaug, Windham & St. Vincent’s hospitals, all members of the Hartford HealthCare network.
Hartford Hosptial’s visitor policies had not changed as of Wednesday, but the situation was constantly evolving, a spokesperson said.