Franciscan Health implements new visitor restrictions at Indianapolis, Mooresville hospitals
Franciscan Health announced Thursday morning it has implemented new visitor guidelines at its Indianapolis and Mooresville hospitals as cases of COVID-19 surge, largely due to the omicron variant, in central Indiana.
The new guidelines, which went into effect at 7 a.m. Thursday, allow one visitor for hospitalized patients each day.
"Franciscan Health is taking these necessary steps after consultation with the leaderships of Franciscan Alliance and Indiana State Department of Health," the health care provider said in a news release.
Related: Indiana Gov. Holcomb extends public health emergency... again.
The updated restrictions come a day after Gov. Eric Holcomb and state health officials held their first COVID-related update in three months.
"We once again are facing a very bleak situation with this pandemic," state Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box said at Wednesday's press conference.
Visitors at Franciscan Health will be screened upon arrival "to determine if they are at risk for COVID-19 or other communicable diseases."
If a visitor does not pass the initial screening, the individual will not be allowed to enter the facility.
Visitors must be at least 18 years old, and will be required to wear a hospital-issued isolation mask while in the facility.
More: This is why COVID-19 rapid tests have been hard to find at Indiana state testing sites.
"In clinical areas, visitors should maintain social distancing (6-feet separation) and practice good hand-cleansing hygiene," Franciscan notes in its release.
Visiting hours at both locations will occur daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Additional information on Franciscan's restrictions can be found online at https://bit.ly/32OLDsh.
Contact Reporter-Times editor Lance Gideon at lgideon@reporter-times.com or 765-342-1543. Follow him on Twitter: @LanceOGideon.
This article originally appeared on The Reporter Times: Omicron Indiana surge: Franciscan limits visitors at area hospitals
