NEWS RELEASE
ROYAL VICTORIA REGIONAL HEALTH CENTRE
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As the highly transmissible omicron variant continues to spread throughout the province causing an alarming surge in COVID-19 cases, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) is once again taking proactive measures and implementing more stringent visitor restrictions.
As a safety measure to limit entry to the health centre, contain the highly transmissible new variant and protect patients, visitors and care teams, effective Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022, RVH is not permitting visitors to accompany most patients for same-day surgery or outpatient procedures.
These restrictions include patients having procedures in the Operating Room, Endoscopy Suites, Interventional Radiology or in the Cardiac Intervention Unit. In the Emergency department, patients will be allowed one visitor only if support is required and approved by the care team.
There are also no visitors permitted at RVH’s 27-bed unit at the IOOF or on the Surgery 3 unit at the main campus as both are currently in outbreak.
Most other units remain in Step 1 of RVH’s visitor policy:
- One visitor per patient, once a week for one hour. Patients will designate two visitors.
- All visits must be booked by contacting the patient care unit directly.
- All visitors must show proof of double-vaccination, identification or proof of a valid exemption.
Exceptions to the policy include, but are not limited to, end of life; childbirth; paediatrics; Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; and some vulnerable patients.
“We understand how difficult it will be for patients and their loved ones, but the threat of Omicron is too great,” says Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO. “The safety of our staff and, most importantly, the patients entrusted to our care, must remain our top priority. These strict measures will stay in place until it is determined safe to lift them.”
Upon arrival, visitors will be screened and they then must go directly to the patient area and are not permitted in any other area including the food court, Café Royale and other common areas.
If a visitor becomes symptomatic or positive after visiting a patient (up to five days after visit), they will notify RVH’s IPAC team by calling 705-728-9090, extension 44555.
For more information, please visit the homepage of the RVH website – www.rvh.on.ca.
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