• The presence of a partner or support person is essential to the mental health of patients who are in labor and delivery. CDPH recommends that up to two support persons be allowed to be present with the patient. In addition to the support person(s), CDPH recommends that a doula, if desired by the patient, be permitted to be present if prior arrangements have been made with the hospital and the doula complies with hospital PPE and infection control guidelines.

Surgery Patients

• The presence of a visitor is essential to the well-being of surgery patients (both inpatient and outpatient). CDPH recommends that up to two visitors be permitted until the patient is taken into prep (provided social distancing can be accomplished), and up to two visitors when the patient is in recovery and preparing for discharge.

Patients at End-of-Life

• Visitors are essential to the mental health of patients who are at end-of-life. For their continued mental health, and well-being, CDPH recommends that up to two visitors be allowed to be present with the patient; a single visitor does not need to be designated.

Patients with Physical, Intellectual, and/or Developmental Disabilities and Patients Cognitive Impairments

• The presence of a support person is essential to patients with physical, intellectual, and/or developmental disabilities and patients with cognitive impairments. CDPH recommends that up to two support persons be allowed to be present with the patient.
• For patients, especially with prolonged hospitalization, the patient or family/patient representative may designate two support persons.

Students Obtaining Clinical Experience

• CDPH supports efforts to ensure that new nurses and other professionals coming into the healthcare workforce are able to obtain necessary clinical experience. CDPH encourages students obtaining their clinical experience be permitted to enter the facility if they meet the CDC guidelines for healthcare workers to maintain the workforce needed during this pandemic.

Hospitals may allow volunteers in the facility in compliance with their internal policy.

Visitors do not need to be designated in advance by the patient; however, each visitor is subject to screening for fever and COVID-19 symptoms and must wear a face covering upon entry and at all times within the facility, and other personal protective equipment (PPE) as appropriate while in the patient's room. Facilities should also limit visitor movement in the facility. For example, visitors should not walk around in hallways of the facility and must go directly to and from the patient's room.

All visitors and support persons must stay in the patient's room. Visitors and support persons should be screened by the facility upon entry for fever and COVID-19 symptoms, and be asymptomatic for COVID-19 and not be a suspected or recently confirmed case. Visitors and support persons must wear a face covering upon entry and at all times within the facility, and must comply with any health facility instructions on PPE while in the patient's room. Visitors should maintain physical distancing from other visitors not from the same household as well as from the facility HCP at all times.

Visitors must be 18 years or older.