MILWAUKEE — Aurora Health Care announced its visiting guidelines have been updated to a limited-visitor policy across all facilities, effective Monday.
The policy only allows two visitors at a time for all patients. The updated visitor policy comes as flu cases spike in Wisconsin.
According to Dr. Ben Weston, the Chief Health Policy Advisor for Milwaukee County, flu season in the state is "taking off like a rocket." Weston says Wisconsin's flu season arrived earlier and faster than in years past.
According to Aurora, the policy is part of its Safe Care Promise which hopes to reduce the spread of COVID, flu, and other seasonal illnesses.
Below are visitors who are permitted under the limited-visitor policy:
- Visitors of pediatric patients, including patients in the NICU, must be at least 18 and authorized by a parent or caregiver, according to Aurora.
- Siblings younger than 18 can visit healthy newborns if the siblings are healthy and with a parent.
- One substitute decision-maker is permitted in addition to two visitors for patients who need help making decisions.
- One doula in addition to two visitors for patients in labor
- Faith leaders in addition to two visitors
- End-of-life situations: The number is based on available space and must allow the patient to be safely cared for
The policy also requires masks in all facilities regardless of vaccination status. Visitors must also pass health screening requirements.
"Visitors of patients in transmission-based isolation (including COVID) must follow proper personal protective equipment (PPE) precautions such as wearing a gown, gloves, etc. as instructed by our care team," according to Aurora.
For more information on the limited-visitor policy, visit Aurora's website.
