Visitor Limitation Guidance at General Acute Care
Hospitals (GACHs) State of California
September 15, 2022
Requirements for Visitors in Acute Health Care and Long-Term Care Settings
On August 11th and August 24th the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in updated guidance, also indicated that screening testing is no longer recommended in general community settings.
Consequently, while COVID-19 remains with us, I am rescinding the February 11, 2022 State Public Health Officer Order effective September 17, 2022.
Visitors in Acute Health Care and Long-Term Care Settings. AFL 21-31
August 12, 2021
"For purposes of this AFL, a person who accompanies a patient to an outpatient appointment is not a visitor in acute health care.
Visitors who are visiting a patient in critical condition, when death may be imminent, are exempt from the vaccination and testing requirements, however, must comply with all infection control and prevention requirements applicable for indoor visits. For purposes of this AFL and in emergent situations, parent or guardian visitors of pediatric patients, a support person for a labor and delivery patient, and support persons for a patient with physical, intellectual, developmental disability, or cognitive impairment are considered visitors who are visiting a patient in critical condition. For subsequent visits following the emergent situation and as soon as reasonably possible, these visitors must comply with the vaccine verification or applicable testing requirements within 72 hours.
For purposes of this AFL, the terms "visitor" and "support person" are used interchangeably."
Requirements for Visitors in Acute Health Care and Long-Term Care Settings
State Public Health Officer Order of August 5, 2021 **updated December 31, 2021
I. The following visitors are exempt from the vaccination and testing requirements of this Order:
- Visitors who are visiting a patient in critical condition, when death may be imminent.
2. In emergent situations, parent or guardian visitors of pediatric patients, a support person for a labor and delivery patient, support persons for a patient with physical, intellectual, developmental disability, or cognitive impairment and a person visiting for bonding visits including in-room stay with a newborn and hospitalized parent. For subsequent visits following the emergent situation and as soon as reasonably possible thereafter, but no longer than 72 hours, these visitors must comply with the vaccine verification or applicable testing requirements.
For such persons the requirements of Section III, below, will still apply.
III. Mask, personal protective equipment, and physical distancing requirements:
A. All visitors must:
- wear a well-fitting face mask (a surgical mask, double masking or a respirator is recommended) at all times during any visitation at the facility;
2. wear any other personal protective equipment (PPE) while in the patient's or resident's room that facility personnel deem appropriate to the situation; and
3. physically distance from facility personnel and other patients/residents/visitors that are not part of their group at all times during any visitation at the facility.
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