HOSPITALS in south Essex have restricted the amount of people that can visit patients.

Due to the coronavirus issue, Basildon, Southend, Colchester, and Broomfield Hospitals have advised that patients may have only one visitor a day.

The visiting hours will now only be from 6pm to 7pm each day, with the exception of children's wards.

Children's and neonatal wards are allowed two visitors at a time.

These visitors must be immediate family or carers.

The exceptions to the one visitor rule include:

  • The patient is receiving end-of-life care
  • The visitor needs to be accompanied - accompanying visitors should not stay in patient ward or communal areas, and this applies to in-patient and outpatient settings
  • They are a partner and one additional birthing partner accompanying a woman in labour

No children under 12 years of age should visit the hospitals except in exceptional circumstances and only with the prior agreement of the ward manager or nurse in charge.

The hospitals have advised that people should make efforts to communicate with patients by other means such as telephone calls.

They have specifically advised people not to visit if:

  • They are unwell, especially if they have a high temperature or a new, persistent cough
  • Vulnerable as a result of their medication, a chronic illness or they are over 70 years of age.