Aiken hospital to loosen visitation restrictions this week

Oct. 27—Starting this week, Aiken Regional Medical Centers will loosen its restrictions on visitation.

The hospital's visitation hours will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. beginning Friday, but the guidelines have been updated.

In the emergency department, two visitors may accompany a patient. The visitors must come in with the patient and stay in the specific room or bay assigned to the patient until discharge. If the patient is admitted, the visitors may accompany the patient during visiting hours.

Inpatient areas, including the ICU and PCU, are permitted two visitors per day during visiting hours. In the labor and delivery/postpartum area, new mothers are permitted two adult visitors per day and one adult overnight visitor; one visitor is permitted for diagnostic testing.

COVID-positive patients are permitted one visitor per day for a maximum of four hours, but restrictions apply.

Patients with physical, intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and patients with cognitive impairments are permitted two adult visitors per day, with one visitor permitted to stay overnight.

A patient at the end of life is permitted two visitors and a clergyman; exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis.

Pediatric patients can be accompanied by two adults or guardians throughout the entire treatment; siblings are not permitted.

For outpatient testing/surgery, two visitors may accompany a patient. Surgery visitors may stay in the waiting room, wait in their vehicle or leave and come back when notified by phone that the patient is ready to be discharged and picked up.

No visitors are permitted in the behavioral health area, with limited critical exceptions.

Visitors must be at least 18 years old; an exception may be made if the patient is at the end of life.

To ensure social distancing and limit potential exposures, visitors are limited to the patient's room and are not to gather in hallways or visit the cafeteria.

Additionally, all patients, visitors, medical staff and associates will continue to be screened prior to entry, have their temperatures checked and will be required to wear a mask, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status. All individuals must wear a face covering over the nose and mouth while in the facility; neck huggers/gaiters and bandanas are not approved coverings.

Aiken Regional also announced Wednesday it has confirmed 2,093 cases of COVID-19 in Aiken County. Of these 2,093 individuals, five are currently receiving care in the hospital, with three in the ICU, and 230 have died. The five individuals receiving care in the hospital are all unvaccinated.