COVID-19 Updates

Masking Guidelines

Effective Monday, August 1, 2022, the following changes will go into effect:

PATIENTS:

Recommended masking anytime the patient is in clinics or anytime they are outside of patient rooms.

VISITORS:

Recommended masking while in LCMHS facilities, especially when accompanying a patient.

Vaccine Information

Everyone in Louisiana ages 5 and older is eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Check this link for more information.

Booster Vaccine Information

LDH recommends COVID-19 booster shots for all fully-vaccinated Louisianans ages 18 and older. A person is considered fully vaccinated if they have received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The following individuals are eligible to receive a booster dose:

• Anyone 18 and older who completed their two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccine series 6 or more months ago
• Anyone 18 and older who received their one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine two or more months ago

* Eligible individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. Federal guidelines currently allow for mix and match dosing for boosters.

Area Specific Visitation Guidelines

Medical/Surgical Inpatient, Non-COVID

• Routine visitation
  • No exposure within 10 days to known COVID individuals
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness
  • One visitor may stay overnight

Medical/Surgical Inpatient, COVID

• One designated visitor per patient per hospital stay
  • No exposure within 10 days to known COVID individuals (other than patient)
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness, not diagnosed with COVID-19 within the previous 10 days
  • Must wear a mask/face covering and other personal protective equipment as provided by nursing staff at all times while in the patient room
  • May not travel freely throughout the building, must remain in the patient room
  • One overnight visitor may remain with the patient
  • Exceptions made for end of life situations in collaboration with the care team
  • Realizing situations change, the designated visitor may be changed with the approval of the unit director/charge nurse

Intensive Care Unit, Non-COVID

• Routine visitation per ICU visitation guidelines
  • No recent (within 10 days) exposure to known COVID individuals
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness
  • One visitor may remain in waiting room overnight, maintaining social distancing with others

Intensive Care Unit, COVID

• One designated visitor per patient per hospital stay
  • No recent (within 10 days) exposure to known COVID individuals (other than patient)
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness, no diagnosis of COVID19 within the previous 10 days
  • Must wear a mask/face covering and other personal protective equipment as provided by nursing staff at all times while in the patient room
  • May not travel freely throughout the building, must remain in the patient room
  • May not wait/stay in waiting room
  • Designated visitor may visit from 8 am- 8 pm
  • Exceptions made for end of life situations in collaboration with the care team
  • Realizing situations change, the designated visitor may be changed with the approval of the unit director/charge nurse

Pediatrics/Pediatric ICU, Non-COVID

• Routine visitation
  • No recent (within 10 days) exposure to known COVID individuals
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness
  • Parents/legal guardians may stay over night
  • Request visitors limit re-entry into the facilities to no more than once per day

Pediatrics/Pediatric ICU, COVID

• Parents/legal guardians may visit and remain with patient
  • Must wear a mask/face covering and other personal protective equipment as provided by nursing staff at all times while in the patient room
  • May not travel freely throughout the building, must remain in the patient room

Emergency Department

• Two designated visitors for all patients (COVID and non-COVID)
  • No recent (within 10 days) exposure to known COVID individuals (other than patient)
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness
  • May not travel freely throughout the building, must remain in the patient room
  • If the patient cannot be “roomed” immediately upon arrival, the visitor must wait outside the ED and will be notified when to join the patient in the ED
  • Exceptions made for end of life situations in collaboration with the care team

Surgery, Same Day Surgery, Cardiac Cath Lab, Radiology (x-ray)

• Routine visitation
  • No recent (within 10 days) exposure to known COVID individuals
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness
  • Please maintain social distancing in waiting areas

Laboratory

• Routine visitation
  • No recent (within 10 days) exposure to known COVID individuals
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness

Pre-Assessment Testing Center

• Routine visitation
  • No recent (within 10 days) exposure to known COVID individuals
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness

MMG & Moss Memorial Clinics, Physical Therapy, Infusion Clinics, Non-Invasive Cardiology, Radiation Oncology

• Routine visitation
  • No recent (within 10 days) exposure to known COVID individuals
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness

Archer Institute/Behavioral Health (10 Tower)

• Increased access to phones for all patients
• Visitation allowed in conjunction with a scheduled Family Session and limited to the participants required for the session
• Visitors as prescribed by the attending psychiatrist and care team
  • No recent (within 10 days) exposure to known COVID individuals
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness

Memorial for Women

OB Inpatient, Non-COVID

• Routine visitation (including siblings)
  • No recent (within 10 days) exposure to known COVID individuals
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness

OB Inpatient, COVID

• One designated visitor per patient per hospital stay; may stay overnight
  • No recent (within 10 days) exposure to known COVID individuals (other than patient)
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness
  • Must wear a mask/face covering and other personal protective equipment as provided by nursing staff at all times while in the patient room
  • May not travel freely throughout the building, must remain in the patient room

NICU

• Routine visitation
  • No recent (within 10 days) exposure to known COVID individuals
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness
  • No visitors under 12 years of age.

Early Labor Evaluation (ELE)

• Routine visitation
  • No recent (within 10 days) exposure to known COVID individuals
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness
  • Visitors for patients known or suspected of COVID illness are not allowed in ELE

Women’s Surgery

• Routine visitation
  • No recent (within 10 days) exposure to known COVID individuals
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness

Women’s Outpatient: Lab and Radiology (excludes OB Ultrasound)

• Routine visitation
  • No recent (within 10 days) exposure to known COVID individuals
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness

OB Clinics

• Routine visitation
  • No recent (within 10 days) exposure to known COVID individuals
  • No fever or signs/symptoms potentially indicating COVID-19 illness
  • Includes ultrasound appointments