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Visitors with covid symptoms infect hospital patients

Visitors with covid symptoms infect hospital patients

Tuesday 01 February 2022

Visitors with covid symptoms infect hospital patients

Tuesday 01 February 2022


Islanders are being urged not to visit anyone in hospital or mental health facilities if they have any symptoms that could be covid-19 and to take a lateral flow test in advance.

The request from hospital staff came after it emerged that “a small number” individuals had visited while they had symptoms, and later tested positive for the virus, after visiting restrictions lifted last week.

Some patients in the hospital - understood to be fewer than 10 - were infected as a result.

It's the second time in recent weeks that patients have been infected by visitors.

On 12 January, the hospital was closed to visitors as a result. Visiting resumed under strict conditions last week, however, after States Members voted in favour of removing the blanket ban.

A Health spokesperson commented: "Visitors to Jersey's General Hospital and mental health wards are urged to take a Lateral Flow Test before visiting and asked not to attend if they have any symptoms of covid-19.

"Following the lifting of restrictions on Thursday 27 January, a small number of people who had symptoms of covid-19 have visited the Hospital and later tested positive.

"Visiting guidelines will continue to be reviewed on a daily basis to ensure that visiting is safe for patients and that our ability to maintain resilience in our vital healthcare workforce can be maintained."

They continued: "The public is reminded that the following guidelines are in place:

  • Only two named visitors are permitted per patient. Only one of those visitors is to attend at visiting session and must only visit one patient while in the Hospital. Staff on wards will keep a record of those named visitors.

  • Visitors must not be subject to any self-isolation requirements or have symptoms associated with covid-19.

  • Visitors must strictly adhere to hand hygiene with alcohol gel on entrances to clinical areas and must wear face masks over the nose at all times.

"Visiting was temporarily suspended on 12 January following reports that several inpatients in the Hospital tested positive for covid-19 after a very small number of visitors came in with symptoms.

"Restrictions were lifted following a decrease of covid circulation in the community."

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