New COVID-19 directives for caregivers and visitors
The Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services announced new directives regarding caregivers and visitors to hospital centres beginning Friday.
Caregivers and visitors are now permitted, under certain conditions.
Among the general conditions listed by the ministry, the following people cannot visit a relative:
A person diagnosed with ■
COVID -19 in the past 28 days;
A person whose recovery has not ■ been confirmed;
A person with symptoms compatible ■ with COVID-19;
A person suspected of being ■ infected or awaiting a result (in isolation).
Hospital visiting hours must be respected, and only one person per time slot is authorized, for a maximum of four people per 24hour period.
However, the government said these guidelines can be adjusted for humanitarian reasons, for example, if a patient is at the end of life or in case of an emergency.
In the case of emergency rooms, only one chaperon per patient is authorized, unless the presence of other people is required for medical reasons or for the “announcement of bad news.”
Visitors may be temporarily banned in the event of “heavy traffic.”
In oncology, the presence of carers is limited to cases that require it, for example for patients who need special support, such as people with cognitive impairment or hospitalized children.
In the case of bone marrow transplantation and cell therapy, no one is admitted, unless necessary and provided they undergo a triage or test procedure applicable to the unit.
In obstetrics, “all reasonable measures must be put in place to encourage the presence of an accompanying person during childbirth.”
The presence of parents is favoured in neonatology and pediatrics, always according to established infection prevention measures.
However, if the parents have COVID-19, they cannot be present, “except in exceptional circumstances or if the mother who gives birth or the hospitalized child are also affected, in which case they can travel together in the hospital, wearing a mask.”