Cleveland Clinic Updates Guidelines To Allow More Visitors

CLEVELAND, OH —The Cleveland Clinic announced Monday that it has updated its Visitation Guidelines for its Ohio and Florida locations in response to "steady" COVID-19 statistics.

The new guidelines, which will allow more visitors, go into effect on Tuesday.

"As COVID-19 cases remain steady in our communities, we are able to safely allow more people to visit their loved ones," the clinic said in a statement.

Beginning Tuesday, patients at the clinic will be allowed two individual visitors at a time, any time during visiting hours, which remain 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. In the past, patients only were allowed two visitors per day.

Additionally, age restrictions for visitors will be lifted on Tuesday. Previously, visitors had to be 18 years old or older.

Another new guideline is that visitors now must check in and check out of the hospital when visiting. This rule, according to Cleveland.com, will help staff ensure patients don't have more than two visitors at a time.

The clinic also reminds visitors that, like before, they will be asked to follow the Visitor Partnership Pledge upon arrival. In the pledge, visitors are asked to be truthful about their own COVID-19 health status, take health and safety measures seriously at the hospital and be respectful to hospital staff.

All visitors to the Cleveland Clinic hospitals in Ohio and Florida are required to wear masks inside the facilities. Visitors to patients with COVID-19 are required to wear masks, eye protection, gown and gloves, according to the clinic.

The clinic's full, and updated, visitation policy, can be found on the Cleveland Clinic website.