With record high caseloads and hospitalizations for COVID-19 in New Hampshire, Dartmouth-Hitchcock announced it will no longer allow visitors for admitted patients or outpatient appointments as of Friday.
There are exceptions for end-of-life care, and one caregiver will be allowed for a patient with cognitive or physical disabilities. Caregivers must not have any symptoms of COVID-19, be on quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19 or travel, or have a diagnosis of COVID-19 in the prior 10 days.
For pediatric patients, two adult parents, guardians or support people will be allowed, and one adult support person will be permitted in the birthing center, according to the new protocols.
For end-of-life care, three visitors will be permitted for COVID-negative patients. For patients who are COVID-positive, two visitors at a time are permitted, but with total limits of one hour and four visitors.
Earlier this week, Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover announced it is no longer allowing visitors at any locations. Inpatients are allowed one approved support person or “essential visitor” over the age of 18, according to the hospital’s website.
Support persons are defined as birth partners, parents/caregivers of pediatric patients, attorneys of patients, and designated support persons for patients with disabilities. “Essential visitors” are those visiting end-of-life patients.
The policy change at Dartmouth-Hitchcock applies to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon; outpatient clinics in Lyme and on Heater Road in Lebanon; the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative and Hospice Care in Lebanon; the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Outpatient Surgery Center in Lebanon; and Norris Cotton Cancer Center North in St. Johnsbury, VT.
