To keep its patients and healthcare workers safe, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) will require all visitors to provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 starting November 15. This includes RVH’s main campus and all offsite locations.
Visitors, designated essential caregivers and anyone accompanying a patient to an appointment will be required to provide proof of vaccination demonstrating 14 days have passed since their second dose, as well as photo identification, or provide documentation they have been granted a provincially recognized medical exemption from a physician. Visitors must also wear appropriate personal protective equipment as directed by RVH and must only go directly to and from the patient room.
If a visitor or essential care provider does not have proof of vaccination or a valid exemption, or there is not time to produce the required proof, the visitor or designated essential caregiver may still enter the health centre with explicit approval from the care team under the following exceptions:
- Patient is a child
- Patient is palliative/end of life
- Patient is in labour
- Patient is experiencing a life altering or critical illness as identified by the clinical team
- Patient requires a support person due to underlying condition
It’s important to note, vaccination is not a condition of receiving care at RVH.
RVH is currently in Step 3 of its visitation policy. Inpatients are allowed one visitor per day for one hour, seven days a week. Visits must be pre-scheduled by calling the inpatient unit no later than 6 a.m. on the day of visitation and visits are permitted between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Visits on the Child and Youth Mental Health inpatient unit are seven days a week between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Outpatients, including day surgery, endoscopy and cancer patients, may have one support person with them if assistance is required. Emergency Department patients are allowed one designated visitor, at the discretion of the care team depending on availability of space and distancing.