With the omicron variant of COVID-19 in retreat across our community, St. Tammany Health System is returning to routine visitation for non-COVID patients at its Covington hospital, effective March 16, 2022.
See below for further details about this policy, which will be updated as warranted by public health concerns.
St. Tammany Health System Visitors Policy, effective March 16, 2022
To protect our community from COVID-19, St. Tammany Health System maintains visitor rules following CDC recommendations. Please see below for the latest guidelines, effective March 16, 2022.
Visitors in healthcare settings must wear masks. STHS will make masks available at entrances and will enforce mask wearing in all common areas for vaccinated and unvaccinated visitors. Masks must be worn properly, ensuring the nose and mouth are covered. Children under 2 years of age are excluded from this requirement.
Routine visiting hours are from 5 a.m. to 9p.m.
STHS will resume routine visitation for COVID-19 negative patients, including inpatients, outpatients and in procedural areas. Visitors are required to practice social distancing in waiting rooms, cafeterias and common areas. Visitors will be asked to leave if they exhibit symptoms of respiratory infection, are unable or refuse to wear a mask or do not comply with current policy.
Fully vaccinated visitors may remove their masks while in a private patient room if the patient and visitor agree. Any member of the treatment team may request that visitors wear masks in their presence.
Patients who are positive for COVID-19 will be allowed no more than two visitors at a time between the hours of 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Visitors must remain in the patient’s room, wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). In special circumstances, more than two visitors will be allowed, including:
- Palliative/Comfort Care (which may include family meetings, palliative medicine consults, or comfort focused treatments): Spouse/partner, children, parents and siblings may visit together between 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. with sleep accommodations provided for one support person overnight.
- End of Life: Spouse/partner, children, parents, siblings and those closest to the family may visit together and be present 24/7.
New Family Center and Mother-Baby
- Labor triage area: One support person over the age of 18 may accompany the patient in the triage area.
- Labor patient: Two support persons over the age of 18 may remain at bedside during labor and vaginal delivery. (Only one support person allowed in room with patient during epidural.)
- Cesarean delivery: One support person over the age of 18 may attend the cesarean delivery in the New Family Center operating room.
- After delivery/postpartum patients: Two visitors at a time are allowed. One support person over the age of 18 will be allowed to remain overnight with the patient. Siblings under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and are not counted in the two-visitor limit. Children under the age of 18 are not allowed to stay overnight with the patient.
Pediatric
- Two visitors in addition to the parents/guardians.
Pediatric Intensive Care
- Two visitors at a time are allowed in the patient’s room. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Neonatal Intensive Care
- Two visitors are allowed at the bedside at one time. The visitors are the parents of the infant or an alternate designee listed on the visitation list located in the NICU.
Adult Critical Care and Neuro Critical Care
- Children less than 12 years of age may not visit unless permitted by the charge nurse.
This visitor policy is subject to change and may be adjusted for patient safety or compassionate reasons in a clinician’s judgment.