State News

Local Hospitals Remove Visitor Restrictions

Lawrence Davis III @LawDavis13 @SpecMagSports

Local hospitals have removed visitor limitations that were due to a rise in respiratory infections in the state of North Carolina.

Below is a list of how visitor limitations have changed.

Duke Hospital  

Due to a significant decrease in respiratory illnesses in the Triangle, all Duke University Health System hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers removed patient visitation restrictions.

The previous restrictions limited daytime visitors to hospital and ambulatory surgery patients to no more than two people aged 12 and older. The move was part of a multi-step approach to protecting patients and preventing the spread of influenza, RSV, and COVID-19 at Duke University hospitals.

Duke’s visitation guidelines include the following restrictions:

  • Up to four visitors at a time where space permits; switching is allowed.
  • Visiting hours for inpatient, bone marrow transplant, and ICU units: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily.
  • Visiting hours for maternity, end-of-life, emergency department, procedural, and perioperative surgical units: 24/7 access.
  • Visitors of all ages are allowed in inpatient, maternity, and ambulatory spaces.
  • Visitors must be 18+ in perioperative, surgical and procedural areas.

WakeMed 

Due to a decline in respiratory illnesses, children under 12 are once again welcome in all hospital nursing units and patient care areas across WakeMed. More information can be found online.

UNC Health

Age-based visitor restrictions will be lifted March 25 at UNC Hospitals, UNC Health Rex, and UNC Health Chatham in some areas of inpatient hospitals.

The changes will go in effect at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, and Youth Behavioral Health in Butner campuses; UNC Health Rex in Raleigh and Holly Springs; and at UNC Health Chatham in Siler City:

  • Visitors aged 11 and younger will no longer be prohibited from inpatient areas and waiting rooms. 
  • All visitors with respiratory symptoms will be prohibited from these same areas. 
  • Normal visiting policies will remain in effect for the remaining areas within UNC Hospitals. 
  • Healthy visitors of any age will remain welcome in our lobbies and retail/food locations. 

Other hospitals in the UNC Health system set their own visitor restrictions and policies based on local trends and other factors.