SHA changes family visitation rules at Saskatoon hospitals

The Saskatchewan Health Authority is changing family guidelines at Saskatoon’s hospitals due to rising COVID-19 numbers in the city.

On Thursday, the SHA said it was moving family presence restrictions from Recovery Phase to Level 1 on Friday at 8 a.m. The change applies to Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon City Hospital, St. Paul’s Hospital and Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital.

Visiting hours will remain the same, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

In Level 1, each patient can designate two consistent essential family members/support people, one of whom can be present at a time indoors. There isn’t a limit on the number of people who can visit patients outdoors.

More than two support people can be designated for patients in intensive care or who are receiving end-of-life or palliative care.

Two support people can visit at the same time in intensive care, maternal, postpartum and pediatric units, and end-of-life or palliative care units.

All visitors to SHA hospitals will have to wear a medical-grade mask at all times in the facility — even in the patient’s room — and answer COVID screening questions. The SHA also encourages everyone visiting hospitals to be vaccinated.

“The decision to restrict family presence is not taken lightly,” the SHA said in a media release. “These measures are only activated temporarily in order to keep patients, family members/support persons, and health care workers safe at this time of elevated local COVID activity. Recovery family presence will resume as soon as possible.”