Yale New Haven Hospital restricting visitors due to rising community COVID-19 numbers

New Haven, CT (Nov. 10, 2020) – Due to the increasing concern regarding community spread of COVID-19, Yale New Haven Hospital has limited visitor access to patients at the hospital and its outpatient facilities. We know in-person visits provide support and reassurance and we understand that visitation restrictions can be very unsettling to patients and family members alike. To prevent the spread of the disease and to protect the health and safety of patients, visitors and staff, effective immediately:

• There is no visitation to hospitalized patients due to the highly contagious nature of COVID-19. Rare exceptions to this policy may be made at the discretion of the patient’s clinical team and we will do our best to accommodate exceptions where possible. Our first priority is to protect the health of our patients, visitors and staff.
  • Among the visitor exceptions that can be made will be for maternity patients, children who are patients, patients for whom end-of-life is imminent, NICU patients, and patients with disabilities, such as altered mental status; physical, intellectual or cognitive disabilities; communication barriers; or behavioral concerns.
  • We encourage visitors to remain closely connected to their loved ones through virtual means, including Skype, FaceTime and/or phone.
• All visitors who do enter the hospital will be screened for evidence of illness by the staff at the front desk. Should questions arise, front desk staff will contact clinical leadership for guidance.
  • Visitors who are sick will not be permitted to enter the hospital; this is without exception.

Again, these rare exceptions will be made by the patient’s clinical team.

Yale New Haven Health has a call center for patients, staff and community members who have questions about COVID-19. Healthcare professionals from the health system are available to answer specific questions seven days a week from 7 am - 7 pm. The call center can be reached at 833-ASK-YNHH (833-275-9644).

Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH), part of Yale New Haven Health, is a nationally recognized, 1,541-bed, not-for-profit hospital serving as the primary teaching hospital for the Yale School of Medicine (YSM). Founded as the fourth voluntary hospital in the U.S. in 1826, today, YNHH has two New Haven-based campuses, and also includes Yale New Haven Children's Hospital, Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital and Smilow Cancer Hospital. YNHH has received Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the nation’s highest honor of nursing excellence. YNHH has a combined medical staff of about 4,500 university and community physicians practicing in more than 100 specialties. www.ynhh.org