Seven N.C. health care systems said they are restricting hospital visits to immediate family members, aged 13 and over, effective immediately. Exceptions will be up to the patient’s health care team.
Systems involved in the new policy include Charlotte-based Atrium Health, Gastonia-based CaroMont Health, Greensboro-based Cone Health, Winston-Salem-based Novant Health, Asheboro-based Randolph Health, Winston-Salem-based Wake Forest Baptist Health and Morganton-based Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge.
The move is aimed at preventing the spread of respiratory illnesses, including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and follows Gov. Roy Cooper’s declaration of a state of emergency in North Carolina due to the virus.
Nursing staff and the attending physician will work with families who have special circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
Visitors, including family members, with flu-like symptoms or worsening cough, won’t be allowed in patient areas.
In a release, Atrium Health said that the Centers for Disease Control and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services are actively working to increase access to testing for the coronavirus. “Testing is currently being focused on patients who have symptoms of the flu and who came in contact with a confirmed coronavirus case.”
