COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is limiting patient visitors in an effort to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure at its hospitals.
Beginning Tuesday, patients will be allowed two visitors for the duration of their hospital stay, according to a release sent from Wexner Medical Center.
In addition to reducing exposure to the virus, the hospital system says limiting visitors is necessary to reduce health care staff needing to educate and remind visitors about COVID-19 safety requirements.
Visitation hours will be held between 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., it reads in the release. Once visitors are named, patients will not be allowed to change who is permitted to see them during their stay. Additionally, Wexner Medical Center says it will not accept visitors under the age of 18.
The announcement comes as Ohio hospitals report a recent rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations. Last month, OhioHealth announced adjustments to its visitation policy, allowing just one visitor per patient. Also last month, OhioHealth said it would pause some elective procedures in an effort to preserve hospital capacity.
You can read a full list of visitation exceptions and policies here.