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Maine hospitals begin allowing visitors for non-COVID patients

Beginning Wednesday, Maine Medical Center will allow one visitor each day between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Credit: AP
FILE- Medical personnel discuss patients that had been admitted for testing for the coronavirus at the entrance Central Maine Medical Center on Friday, March 13, 2020, in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

PORTLAND, Maine — One year after COVID-19 made its way to the state, Maine hospitals have begun easing restrictions on visitors.

Beginning Wednesday, patients at Maine Medical Center who are not being treated for COVID-19 will be allowed one visitor each day between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Among other changes, one adult may accompany an adult patient in the Emergency Department, and two parents or guardians may accompany pediatric patients if space is available to allow for social distancing.

Other MaineHealth hospitals will make similar adjustments shortly, according to John Porter, associate vice president for system communications and public affairs at MaineHealth.

Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston also loosened restrictions last week.

Throughout the past year, hospitals have increased restrictions on visitor policies as the virus surged.

Recent changes recognize the importance of visitors to patients’ well-being, the hospital said. But officials caution that COVID-19 cases continue to increase in the state, and while restrictions are being relaxed somewhat, precautions are still in place.

“While it is good news that we can start to loosen our visitation rules somewhat, people should understand that we are still in the middle of this pandemic,” Joan Boomsma, chief medical officer of MaineHealth, said in a release Monday. “These restrictions are for the protection of patients, employees, visitors, and the public, and are consistent with guidance from governmental authorities and adopted for the purpose of reducing the potential for spread of the COVID-19 virus."

Northern Light Health spokeswoman Karen Cashman said Monday that hospitals in that system have begun discussing easing restrictions but have not yet relaxed any rules.

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