With Covid-19 cases again skyrocketing, Western New York's hospitals returned to more restrictive patient-visitation policies in recent days.
Some are more restrictive than others.
For instance, starting Monday, visitors coming to see inpatients at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center will be required to show proof of having received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. Unvaccinated individuals who want to visit must have a negative polymerase-chain-reaction, or PCR, test taken within the past 72 hours.
"Cancer patients have weakened immune systems and are at risk for severe impacts if exposed to the virus that causes Covid-19," the cancer center said Friday. "Roswell Park continues to protect its most vulnerable patients and appreciates everyone's cooperation with important public-health measures like masking and physical distancing while on campus."
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At Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, all visitors accompanying a patient for a service or visiting an inpatient will be required to provide proof of vaccination via the NYS Excelsior Pass app or Covid-19 vaccination card.
That policy, which went into effect Tuesday. could allow exceptions for end-of-life situations.
Catholic Health System late Monday announced non-Covid patients in its hospitals will be limited to one visitor at a time during reduced hours, beginning Wednesday.
Updated policies at Erie County Medical Center, Catholic Health System and Kaleida Health do not require visitors to be vaccinated. Policies at those facilities, generally, limit the number of visitors and reduce visiting hours.
For example, Kaleida's updated policy, which goes into effect Monday, allows one "designated support person" per day to visit non-Covid-19 patients from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Buffalo General Medical Center and Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital. In end-of-life cases, two people may visit a patient at any time.
Pediatric inpatients at Oishei Children's Hospital are allowed four people at the bedside at any given time.
Beginning Monday, patients at ECMC will be limited to one visitor per day during a six-hour visitation window.
Click on the links to read visitation policies for the largest hospital systems: Kaleida Health, Catholic Health, ECMC, Niagara Falls Memorial, and Roswell Park.
