To protect the health of patients, team members and the community amid the continued spread of novel coronavirus COVID-19, Riverside Health System is temporarily restricting visitors in outpatient areas until further notice.
Outpatient setting visitation restrictions as of March 18, 2020 include the following.
- No visitors may accompany outpatients, with these exceptions:
- One visitor may accompany a patient who needs assistance getting to and from their car.
- One visitor may accompany a patient who needs assistance understanding medical treatment.
Those people who are giving rides to patients but who do not wish to enter the building can call ahead to make arrangements for the patient to be transported from the car to the area of service.
These outpatient setting visitation changes are in addition to earlier restrictions to visitors in Riverside’s five hospitals.
No visitors may accompany hospital inpatients with these exceptions:
- One visitor may accompany a patient in the emergency department if needed for the patient to understand medical treatment.
- One visitor may accompany a mother on the mother-baby unit.
- One visitor may accompany a patient who is having surgery.
- For visitors to patients who are at the end-of-life, exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Hospital inpatients will be encouraged to stay in touch with loved ones via video options, telephone or email, rather than in-person contact.
Riverside is closely monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak in step with the Virginia Department of Health.
There is no treatment for COVID-19, and most people will not need hospital care unless they are having trouble breathing, or if they develop moderate to severe respiratory illness. Most people who are sick are being advised to stay home to avoid spreading the illness to others.
It is important that the community continues to take precautions to safeguard themselves and prevent the potential spread of this illness.
Among the simple but effective actions to take to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 include the following:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Practice social distancing of six feet or more.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Clean your hands often. Wash with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, throw the tissue in the trash, and wash or sanitize your hands.
- Stay home if you are sick.
For more information about COVID-19 and Riverside Health System’s response, visit riversideonline.com/covid-19.
Published: March 19, 2020