Northwest Health announces new Visitor Restrictions

2/2/2021

Keeping everyone safe remains the first priority at Northwest Health and our hospitals in Knox, La Porte and Valparaiso. Based on the decrease in positive COVID-19 cases in the communities served by Northwest Health – La Porte, Northwest Health – Porter and Northwest Health Starke, the following changes to the hospitals’ visitor restrictions go into effect Wednesday, Feb. 3.

According to a Northwest Health spokesperson, “It is the efforts of our community to fight against this virus that have made it safe for visitors to begin coming back into our facilities. For that we are grateful and we encourage everyone to continue to wear masks, wash hands frequently, and maintain social distance of 6 feet whenever possible.”

The new visitor restrictions are as follows:

In all situations:

• Face masks are required at all times.
• All visitors must be 18 years of age or older and will be screened upon entry.
• Anyone with Covid-19 symptoms will not be permitted to enter unless they are seeking medical care.
• All visitors are asked to practice social distancing, hand hygiene and infection prevention:
  • Sanitize hands when entering the hospital and when entering or exiting patient rooms.
  • Cover coughs or sneezes with elbow or a tissue and dispose of used tissues in the trash.
  • Sanitize hands after coughing or sneezing.

Hospitals

• One visitor: Only one visitor at a time, per patient.
• Visiting Hours: 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily.
• Inpatient visitors: Go directly to the patient room (cafeterias and gift shops remain closed to visitors).

Exceptions:

• Emergency Department: One person per patient (no visiting hour restrictions). Both parents/guardians are permitted for pediatric patients.
• Labor & Delivery: Two adult visitors per patient at a time (no visiting hour restrictions).
• Outpatient procedures/surgery: One person may accompany each patient.
• Radiology and other Outpatient Diagnostics: One person may accompany each patient.
• Pediatrics and NICU: Two parents/guardians (no visiting hour restrictions).
• Compassionate care/end-of-life situations: Please speak with a member of the care team as two visitors at a time may be arranged.

No visitors permitted:

• No visitors for COVID-19 patients or for patients awaiting COVID-19 test results.

Urgent Care and Northwest Medical Group Locations

• One visitor may accompany each patient. Two parents/guardians may accompany children.

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