New Visitation Policies Implemented At Cleveland Clinic

CLEVELAND — As the holiday season proceeds and Ohio's hospitals remain crowded, the Cleveland Clinic is instituting a new visitation policy at all of its Buckeye State locations.

"Visiting with loved ones is important to our patients, especially during the holiday season. While we continue to manage high numbers of patients in our facilities, we have protocols in place that allow more individuals to visit, while still protecting our patients and caregivers," the hospital system said in a statement.

First, here's what will remain the same: visitation hours will continue to be held between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. All visitors must wear a mask at all times, pass a COVID-19 health screening and sanitize their hands when they arrive.

All visitors must be at least 18.

Here are some of the changes:

In the Emergency Department, only one visitor (18 and older) will be allowed per day.

All inpatients will be allowed one visitor per day. The visitor may be different each day, though, meaning inpatients no longer have to designate which person will be visiting them throughout their stay.

Once a visitor is in the building, they must remain there. Visitors cannot leave and reenter the building later the same day.

Visitors who have tested positive for COVID-19 can visit a patient if it has been at least 10 days since they tested positive. If a visitor has been exposed to someone with COVID-19, they must 14 days to visit a patient, if they're unvaccinated. If they're vaccinated and asymptomatic after exposure, they can visit a patient after they prove their vaccination status.