NEWS RELEASE
ROYAL VICTORIA REGIONAL HEALTH CENTRE
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As the highly transmissible Omicron variant spreads throughout the province causing an alarming surge in COVID-19 cases, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) is taking proactive measures and returning to more stringent visitor restrictions, beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, December 21.
These visitor restrictions are a safety measure to limit non-essential entry to the health centre, contain the highly transmissible new variant and protect patients, visitors and care teams.
“We understand how difficult it will be for patients and their loved ones to be separated around the holidays, but the threat of Omicron is too great,” says Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO. “The safety of our staff and, most importantly, the patients entrusted to our care, must remain our top priority. These strict measures will stay in place until it is determined safe to lift them.”
Effective Tuesday, Dec. 21, RVH will return to step 1 of its visitor policy (with some exceptions):
- One visitor per patient, once a week for one hour. Patients will designate two visitors.
- All visits must be booked by contacting the patient care unit directly.
- All visitors must show proof of double-vaccination, identification or proof of a valid exemption.
Exceptions to the policy include, but are not limited to: end of life; child birth; paediatric; NICU; and vulnerable patients.
Upon arrival, visitors will be screened, and then they must go directly to the patient area and are not permitted in any other area including the food court, Café Royale and other common areas.
If a visitor becomes symptomatic or positive after visiting a patient (up to five days after visit), they will notify RVH’s IPAC team by calling 705-728-9090, extension 44555.
For more information, please visit the homepage of the RVH website – www.rvh.on.ca.
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