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UVM Medical Center Updates Visitor Access Policy to Reflect Current COVID-19 Conditions

Masking Remains a Requirement at UVM Medical Center With Additional Temporary Visitor Limitation

Staff screening visitors at UVM Medical Center.
Published

BURLINGTON, Vt. – The University of Vermont Medical Center is adjusting its visitation policy to reflect current COVID-19 conditions in the area and protect the health and safety of patients, staff and the community. This new policy will go into effect on Wednesday, December 8.

We know that family members and loved ones are valued members of the health care team and play a critical role in supporting the wellbeing of our patients. We welcome visitors and ask that anyone visiting patients in our facilities or accompanying loved ones for care continue to follow our policies and masking requirements.

“Maintaining the health and safety of our patients and staff remains our top priority as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. We appreciate the continued cooperation and support from the community,” said Stephen Leffler, MD, President and COO of the UVM Medical Center.

Please view the full visitation policy at the University of Vermont Medical Center here.

The following policies apply to everyone entering UVM Medical Center:

  • Masks must be worn at all times when in our building, this includes visitors who are sleeping while staying overnight.
  • Inpatient waiting rooms are now closed. Visitors should remain in patient rooms and may wait in the Main Pavilion 3rd floor lobby when necessary.
  • We are now allowing a maximum of 2 designated support people to visit per hospital stay. Visitors are allowed in inpatient/acute care and emergency departments according to the policy below:

Adult inpatient units: Two healthy designated support people are permitted per hospital stay. Only 1 may visit per day. No visitors are permitted if patient is COVID+ or PUI unless in end of life care. Every effort will be made to facilitate remote visitation from loved ones until the patient is discharged or deemed to be no longer infectious.

Patients in End-of-Life Care: Family presence at the end of life will be managed by the care team. In general, four family members at a time are welcomed for patients in end of life care.

Labor and Delivery: Two healthy designated support persons permitted on Labor and Delivery. Two healthy designated support person may permitted for post-partum stay on the Mother-Baby Unit. Only one may visit per day.

Inpatient Pediatrics: Two healthy designated caregivers permitted per hospital stay. One healthy designated caregiver is permitted overnight.

Inpatient Psychiatry: Two vaccinated, healthy designated support people are permitted per hospital stay. Only one may visit per day. Due to the environment on these units, the support persons must be vaccinated. Support persons must be 18 years or older.

Emergency Department: Two healthy designated support persons are permitted. No visitors permitted if patient is COVID+ or PUI unless in end of life care. Every effort will be made to facilitate remote visitation from loved ones until the patient is discharged or deemed to be no longer infectious. For pediatric patients, two healthy designated caregivers are permitted when necessary.

Urgent Care: One healthy designated support person is permitted. No visitors are permitted if patient is COVID+ or PUI. The support person is not able to wait in the waiting room, but can join the patient when assigned to a room. For pediatric patients, two healthy designated caregivers permitted.

All support persons allowed to visit are strongly encouraged to remain in the patient room during the duration of their visit, limit traffic in hallways and avoid congregating in waiting rooms, cafeterias and lobbies before, after or between visits. Family members/support persons are permitted to leave and re-enter the building but must be rescreened upon each entry. Family members are strongly encouraged to limit repeated entry and return.

Visitors are allowed as outlined in the below areas:

  • Surgical/Procedural Areas: One healthy designated support person is permitted for patients arriving for any procedure requiring sedation or general anesthesia. For pediatric patients, two healthy designated caregivers permitted for patients arriving for any procedure requiring sedation or general anesthesia.
  • Outpatient Clinics: one healthy support person is permitted. For pediatric patients, two health caregivers are permitted.

More information about COVID-19 is available at:

About the University of Vermont Medical Center The University of Vermont Medical Center is a 499-bed tertiary care regional referral center providing advanced care to approximately 1 million residents in Vermont and northern New York. Together with our partners at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, we are Vermont’s academic medical center. The University of Vermont Medical Center also serves as a community hospital for approximately 150,000 residents in Chittenden and Grand Isle counties. 

The University of Vermont Medical Center is a member of The University of Vermont Health Network, an integrated system established to deliver high quality academic medicine to every community we serve.

For more information visit www.UVMHealth.org/MedCenter.

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