The Isle of Wight NHS Trust has announced restrictions to visiting for all of its services in response to COVID-19.
Only essential visits are now being welcomed and those visits have to be arranged with the ward management. Children should not visit the wards.
The changes take effect from midday today (17th March 2020) until further notice.
A spokesperson for Isle of Wight NHS Trust has said:
“We understand how important visiting family and friends is but we have to prioritise the safety of our patients, staff and the wider community. Restricting the number of visits to the hospital will help contain the spread of COVID-19 and we are grateful to people for their cooperation and understanding.”
Who can visit?
Visiting should be limited to only essential visiting which has been arranged with the ward manager. Exceptions will be made for the following patient groups where close family and friends visiting the may be admitted:
- Patients in critical care
- Vulnerable young adults
- Psychiatric patients
- Loved ones who are receiving end of life care.
Children should not visit the wards.
Are you unwell?
If you have either:
- a high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back
- a new, continuous cough – this means you’ve started coughing repeatedly
Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or visit the hospital. Visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19 for more information.
What infection control procedures should you follow in the hospital?
Any visitors who have permission to visit should adhere to the following infection control guidelines:
- Wash your hands thoroughly before arriving at the hospital
- Use the hand hygiene gels at the entrance to the hospital and throughout the hospital
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough and sneeze and put used tissues into a bin
- Wash your hands thoroughly before leaving the hospital
A positive step in the right direction. Islanders must acknowledge and accept the seriousness of this virus. The visitor restrictions will certainly reduce the numbers of possible contamination being taken into our hospital.
“Exception made for Psychiatric patients”
So its ok to potentially infect a ward of the mentally ill? Some of the most vulnerable of society in terms of their health and state of mind??
Their Mental health may require under certain circumstances a visitor, there are other exceptions you appear not to comment on.
Unless you know the circumstances please do not be judgemental.
Life is not always straight cut, please think before commenting.