Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) has updated its guidelines for visits, effective May 20.

During the past 10 weeks, LVHN implemented many processes, such as visitor temperature screenings at entrances, to help keep everyone safe in the facilities. The safety measures have proven to be very effective.

As LVHN hospitals continue to see declines in the number of COVID-19 cases in the region, visitors are invited to select areas to provide support and companionship to hospitalized patients.

In LVHN hospitals and inpatient facilities, visitors are allowed in these circumstances:

• Labor and delivery and postpartum areas: One partner-support person may stay the duration of the hospitalization.

• Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU): One set of parents or authorized representatives may visit.

• Hospitalized patients age 18 and younger: One set of parents or authorized representatives may visit.

• Patients with developmental disability, major neurocognitive disorder or dementia: One designated support person essential to patient care may visit.

• Non-COVID-19 medical surgical-low-level monitoring units: One healthy support person may visit daily for the duration of the hospitalization.

• Patients ready to be discharged from the hospital: One healthy support person may visit to assist as necessary.

• Emergency department: One healthy visitor may accompany a patient.

• Non-COVID-19 patients who are at end-of-life: Two healthy visitors may visit at a time.

• COVID-19 patients who are at end-of-life: Two healthy visitors my visit at a time.

Healthy visitors are allowed under these guidelines:

• Visitors will have their temperatures taken and will be screened for symptoms of COVID-19.

• Visitors will be asked to provide a prior history of a COVID-19 diagnosis.

• Visitors will wear a face mask at all times. A mask will be provided to those who arrive without one.

• Visitors will be allowed in the patient room only and should not visit other areas in the hospital.

• No visitors under age 18 will be permitted except for visits to patients at the end of life.

Visitors recovering from COVID-19 will be allowed if:

• 10 days have passed since they developed symptoms.

• They have been fever-free without the use of antipyretic medications (used to reduce fever) for three days.

• They have experienced an improvement in other symptoms.

In LVHN hospitals and inpatient facilities, visitors are not allowed in these areas:

• Non-COVID-19 intensive care units

• COVID-19 intensive care units

• COVID-19 medical surgical-low-level monitoring units

• Same-day surgery

LVHN COVID-FREE hospitals include LVHN - Tilghman, Coordinated Health Allentown, 1503 N. Cedar Crest Boulevard, and Coordinated Health Bethlehem, 2310 Highland Avenue.

The guidelines and restrictions for visiting will be reviewed weekly and will be updated based on the latest information.

Information: LVHN.org/COVIDSAFE