UMass Memorial again restricting visitors, not allowing any for most COVID patients

Photo | Grant Welker UMass Memorial Medical Center's Memorial Campus in Worcester

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By Grant Welker

UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester is tightening visitor restrictions again as coronavirus cases rise in the city and across Central Massachusetts.

Beginning Tuesday, the hospital is allowing only one visitor per day for patients who haven't been diagnosed with coronavirus or are under investigation of having it. Patients who have coronavirus or are under investigation are not allowed any visitors, nor are ambulatory patients.

UMass Memorial's new guidelines, outlined in a staff memo Tuesday from Chief Medical Officer Dr. Andrew Karson and Chief Nursing Officer Justin Precourt, comes as Massachusetts has had 10 straight days of at least 900 new cases — the highest daily numbers since the pandemic's first wave was nearing an end in the state in the spring. In Central Massachusetts, 23 cities and towns are now in the highest-risk category by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, including Worcester.

On Oct. 30, UMass Memorial Health Care President and CEO Dr. Eric Dickson advised staff that although the hospital system wasn't yet in a coronavirus surge that it was planning for one.

UMass Memorial has given some exceptions to its visitor policy, including allowing two visitors for patients in end-of-life care who don't have coronavirus. Coronavirus patients in end-of-life care may have two visitors for 30 minutes for a one-time visit.

Through Monday, Massachusetts has tallied 156,385 confirmed cases and 10,023 confirmed or probable deaths, according to the Department of Public Health. Hospitalizations statewide are rising but remain below 500, a fraction of the more than 3,500 in late April.