Visiting restrictions have been introduced at University Hospital Limerick, due to high levels of Covid-19 in the community.
The UL Hospitals Group says the decision has been taken to ensure patient and staff safety, as well as to keep essential services open.
Parents visiting sick children, visitors assisting confused patients, such as those with dementia and people visiting patients under critical or end of life care are exempt.
Hospital management are also urging people not to visit with patients on the hospital grounds, saying this can also present a transmission risk.
Statement from UHL:
VISITING on inpatient wards in University Hospital Limerick is being put in place today Sunday 20th March. This is due to very high levels of Covid positive patients in the hospital and the high level of community transmission.
We regret the imposition of visiting restrictions so soon after we began to lift them. The decision has been taken to help keep all patients and staff safe, and to ensure that the hospital’s essential services can remain open at this time.
The only exceptions are:
• parents visiting children in hospital
• people assisting confused patients; for example, dementia
• visiting on compassionate grounds; for example, for patients who are critically unwell or at end of life
Exemptions are limited to one person per patient and will be looked at on a case by case basis.
In cases where exemptions apply, we strongly recommend that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before coming to the hospital, to minimise risks to you, our patients and staff. We advise also that people should not visit relatives or loved ones outdoors in the grounds of the hospital, as this can also present a COVID-19 transmission risk.
