Birth room visitor rules tighten at Novant hospitals across NC amid coronavirus outbreak
Novant Health is once again tightening visitor restrictions at its hospitals in North Carolina as the new coronavirus continues to spread.
The new rules restrict people giving birth to only one visitor in the room, in addition to hospital medical staff. The restriction likely impacts laboring patients who wish to have a birth doula or other support person present in addition to a spouse, partner or loved one.
Novant, like many hospitals, had already changed some hospital visitation rules in response to COVID-19 outbreaks locally and across the region. On March 20, Novant said only hospital patients under 18 or those in labor could have visitors (end-of-life cases excepted). That previous rule permitted laboring patients to one visitor plus a second support person, such as a doula.
People giving birth may now have only one visitor accompany them, according to the new restrictions.
Visitors must be healthy with no cough, fever or flu-like symptoms.
Atrium Health last updated its visitor restrictions on March 18, limiting visits to only “essential visitation only.”
That includes patients in the Intensive Care Unit and end-of-life patients, patients who need a visitor to help communicate or make decisions, minor patients under 18 years old, and patients having a baby, according to Atrium. And only immediate family members over the age of 13 are allowed to visit patients.
Mecklenburg County reported its first COVID-19 death Sunday. That person was 60 years old with “significant underlying health conditions,” said county health director Gibbie Harris.
Novant’s new rules apply to:
Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center
Novant Health Charlotte Orthopedic Hospital
Novant Health Clemmons Medical Center
Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center
Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital
Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center
Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center
Novant Health Matthews Medical Center
Novant Health Medical Park Hospital
Novant Health Mint Hill Medical Center
Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center
Novant Health Rowan Medical Center
Novant Health Thomasville Medical Center
This story was originally published March 30, 2020 at 11:52 AM with the headline "Birth room visitor rules tighten at Novant hospitals across NC amid coronavirus outbreak."
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