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CHAPEL HILL, NC (WNCN) – A day after Duke University Health System announced restrictions on hospital visitors, UNC Health said it has new visitor rules that begin Monday.
Both hospital groups said the new restrictions are due to “the increase in respiratory infections in our community.”
Duke Health announced their new rules, effective Monday, and limiting the number of visitors at one time. Duke said the rules help protect “patients and prevent the spread of influenza, RSV, and COVID-19.”
The UNC Health announcement is for UNC Hospitals and UNC Health Rex and is generally based on age, officials said.
The new UNC campuses include Chapel Hill and Hillsborough and UNC Health Rex in Raleigh, UNC Holly Springs Hospital, and UNC Health Johnston – Clayton and Smithfield.
These new rules apply to UNC Faculty Physicians in patient areas.
In addition to the new rules, officials said “masks are strongly encouraged for patients and visitors to these units.”
In Raleigh and Holly Springs here are the new UNC restrictions:
- Restrict visitors 11 and under from inpatient areas, ED and all waiting rooms.
- Fellows are required to wear masks during patient care activities in the ED, all ICUs and 5E (oncology).
- Recommend that colleagues wear masks in other areas.
UNC Health Johnston will implement these new visitor restrictions on Monday:
- Visitors 12 and under are not allowed in the boarding areas or waiting rooms.
- Anyone with respiratory symptoms (eg, coughing, sneezing, fever) is also not allowed in these areas.
- For Women’s Services, our RSV visitor policy will apply, which prohibits visitors under the age of 18.
Duke Health regulations require visitors to be over 12 years old without symptoms of a cold or flu.
Duke Health patients may receive more than two visitors at a time. Also, Duke Health visitors with a fever, cough or other flu-like symptoms should stay home.
Employees at various UNC facilities will be required to wear masks starting Monday when working in the following areas:
- Emergency departments
- Adult and Pediatric ICUs
- Adult and Pediatric Abatement Units
- Adult and Pediatric Oncology Units.
Like Duke Health, UNC health officials said the restrictions are temporary.
“We recognize the impact such restrictions can place on our patients and their loved ones. Leadership and infectious disease experts will continue to monitor infection data and increase or decrease safety measures based on the data,” said a UNC Health news release.
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