Visitor restrictions placed in HUS hospitals and units due to the increased number of COVID-19 cases

HUS will restrict visitation to patients to protect both patients and staff from infection. This restriction comes into effect on December 2 and will continue until December 20. “We hope to curb the epidemic and continue visitations in hospitals over the Christmas holidays”, said Chief Medical Officer Markku Mäkijärvi.

The restricted visitation means that all visits by patients’ family and friends to HUS facilities are prohibited in principle. Visiting a critically ill patient or a patient in end-of-life care may be arranged for the patient's family and friends. However, this needs to be agreed with the care unit.

If a patient requires an assistant, one person is allowed to accompany the patient throughout the patient’s visit at an emergency department or an outpatient clinic.

The visitor restrictions do not apply to symptom-free family members of child patients. One guardian may accompany a child patient to the hospital and one guardian at a time may stay at the inpatient ward with the child. Additionally, delivery and maternity wards, maternity outpatient clinics and prenatal screening units allow one support person or spouse.

Visitors must not have any symptoms of a coronavirus infection and must wear a surgical face mask throughout their stay in the hospital when accompanying a patient or visiting a family member or a friend for whom visitation is allowed. We kindly ask that visitors wear a mask already when arriving to the hospital. If a visitor does not have a mask, one will be provided in the unit. People who cannot wear a surgical face mask will be given a visor to wear. Visitors and people accompanying patients must use hand sanitizer when they enter or leave the hospital, a ward, or a patient room.

Further information:

• Instructions for visitors
• Restrictions to visits and appointments in gynecology and obstetrics 
• Instructions for visiting pediatric units