HSHS St. Francis Hospital issued the following announcement on Jan. 21.
Visitor restrictions put in place at three HSHS Illinois hospitals – St. John’s in Springfield, St. Mary’s in Decatur and St. Francis in Litchfield – have been updated due to a decline in COVID-19 numbers in the region.
Visitors will still be required to wear a mask at all times while in the hospitals and should expect to be screened.
Effective Thursday, January 21, visitors will now be permitted as follows:
Emergency department:
- Adult patient: One visitor who must stay in the patient’s room for duration of visit.
- Pediatric patient: Two parents and/or guardians who must stay in the patient’s room for duration of visit.
- Adult inpatients: One support person during the hours of 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Pediatrics inpatients: Two parents or guardians allowed.
- Women and infants center: One support person.
- NICU patients: Two parents within the unit.
- End-of-life patients: Two visitors at a time.
Outpatient diagnostic and therapy services: Patients are encouraged to come alone whenever possible or have visitors wait outside until services are complete.
Patients with intellectual and/or developmental disability or cognitive impairments: One support person.
These guidelines are subject to change at any time to address the health needs of our communities.
Approved visitors/support persons must be over the age of 18 and will continue to be screened upon entering the facility for COVID-19 symptoms and exposure. Support persons who have any of the following symptoms or are not feeling well will NOT be allowed to visit:
- Fever or chills
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Loss of sense of taste or smell
- Exposure to a known COVID-19 person in the past 14 days
- If the support person had COVID-19 he/she may not come to the hospital until 14 days after onset of symptoms or positive COVID-19 test AND at least 24 hours fever free with improvement in symptoms.
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