The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District is working to have hospital visitations throughout the district resume in coming days but there will be some new rules.
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There have been a number of enforced changes to hospital visitation rules over the past few months due to COVID-19.
ISLHD Chief Executive, Margot Mains said the community may have seen the updated advice from NSW Health about visitor restrictions at hospitals in line with the NSW roadmap, that restrictions on general hospital visitors in NSW health facilities will be lifted.
"We fully understand that our community is very keen to resume visiting loved ones in hospital, and our teams are now doing everything they can to enable this to happen as quickly as possible," Ms Mains said.
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ISLHD has released a new set of guidelines for anyone wishing to visit a local hospital, however Ms Mains said hospitals will remain on "high-risk alert level".
"We want to remind our community that our hospitals will remain on the high-risk alert level, therefore we need to ensure the re-opening of general visiting hours is done in a safe and appropriate way," she said.
Patients in a NSW Health hospital will be allowed up to two visitors per day as long as the visitor:
Is at least 12 years of age.
Has had two doses of a TGA approved COVID-19 vaccine.
Has evidence of their vaccination status when they enter the facility.
And wears a surgical mask correctly on entry at the facility and for the duration of the visit.
"Please be mindful, coordinating and screening visitors is not a simple process," Ms Mains said.
"We are working to balance the expectations of our community and the continued safety of our patients, so please be kind when dealing with staff as we work to re-open hospitals to general visitors."
ISLHD will provide details on when general visiting can resume.