MEDIA CONTACT:
Shannan Schmitt
Senior Director, Communications
(513) 307-0328

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Visitation restrictions and Return to Work for Greater Cincinnati Hospitals

Updated policies due to COVID-19

To keep patients and residents in our region safe, visitation restrictions have been updated. If you are planning to make a visit to a hospital, please contact the hospital directly or visit their website for more specific restrictions by location.

Cincinnati Children’s visitor guidelines have not changed. These guidelines apply to adult hospitals in our area. Patients may have one visitor in their room at any one time, or in the waiting room.

All visitors must adhere to the following:

• • • Visitors must wear masks at all times while on premises
    • Patients are limited to one visitor at a time *Except patients under 18
    • No visitors under age 16
    • Visitors are not permitted to see patients if they exhibit any respiratory illness symptoms (coughing, sneezing, runny nose, fever, etc..)
    • Visitors are not permitted if they have travelled internationally within the past 14 days

Hospitals and providers will consider other exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

In addition, our regional hospitals have adopted the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for healthcare workers returning to work.

The CDC shortened the isolation time for healthcare workers who test positive for Covid-19. The agency’s new guidelines say healthcare workers with Covid-19 may return to work after five days if they are asymptomatic and test negative, and that the isolation time can be cut further if there are staffing shortages.

The agency also specified that healthcare workers don’t need to quarantine “following high-risk exposures” if they’ve gotten all recommended vaccinations, including a booster shot.

Implementation of CDC guidance varies by hospital. The new guidelines don’t extend to the general public and only apply to the healthcare workforce.

Right now, the most important thing for Greater Cincinnati residents to do is to continue prevention measures:

• • • Get vaccinated. And get your booster.
    • Practice social distancing.
    • Wear a mask even if you’re vaccinated.
    • Clean your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
    • Stay home from work/ school/ activities if you are feeling ill.
    • Test to prevent spread. If you have symptoms, get tested at your pharmacy, urgent care or locally hosted testing sites found at testandprotectcincy.com. Not the ER.

For more information about COVID-19 visit: testandprotectcincy.com

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About The Health Collaborative: The Health Collaborative is a non-profit organization that leads data-driven improvements that result in healthier people, better care and lower costs. For more information about The Health Collaborative, visit healthcollab.org