Visitor restrictions reinstated at CarolinaEast

NEW BERN, N.C. (WITN) - Another Eastern Carolina hospital is reinstating visitor restrictions due to the omicron surge.

CarolinaEast Medical Center says effective Monday, it will limit one visitor at a time during visitor hours.

In March of last year, the New Bern hospital enacted visitor restrictions and then relaxed them as the pandemic lessened.

The following takes effect on Monday:

• Patients may receive one visitor at a time during their hospitalization at CarolinaEast Medical Center.
• Visiting hours for inpatient units are 9:00am until 8:00pm for all units except Crossroads Adult Mental Health, where visiting hours are 5:30pm until 6:30pm.
• Emergency Department (ED) patients are allowed one companion while being cared for in the ED.
• No visitation is allowed for patients on COVID-19 isolation protocol.
• All visitors must be at least 16 years old.
• All visitors must pass wellness screening upon entry into a CarolinaEast facility.
• All CarolinaEast Medical Center visitors are required to present photo identification and obtain a visitor pass upon check-in, and must check out after visiting.
• All visitors must wear a mask at all times. Based on Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, all staff and visitors, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, are required to wear masks in a healthcare environment.
• The hospital cafeteria (Blue Wave Café) and coffee shop (Jasmine Coffee Shop) remain closed to the public. Visitors of patients are permitted to purchase to-go items only.
• The hospital waiting areas remain closed and visitors must continue to wait outside the facility during outpatient, surgical and other invasive procedures.

The hospital says under certain circumstances, such as end-of-life situations, compassionate care visitation may be okayed in coordination with the patient’s physician or other care providers.

On Thursday morning, new visitor rules went into effect at all Vidant Health hospitals.

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