Cooley Dickinson Hospital Announces Visitation Policy Change

NORTHAMPTON — Given the ever-changing nature of the coronavirus/COVID-19, Cooley Dickinson Hospital is changing its visitor guidelines and restricting visitors, effective immediately. The new guidelines include:

• One visitor per patient at a time;

• No children under age 16;

• Anyone with upper respiratory symptoms, including fever, sore throat, or cough, regardless of travel history, should postpone their visit to Cooley Dickinson Hospital patients or staff until they feel better; and

• Anyone who has recently visited China, Iran, Italy, Japan, or South Korea, or other areas where coronavirus has been reported — or has been in contact with someone who is sick and who has been to one of the countries listed above — should postpone their visit to Cooley Dickinson Hospital.

Anyone who need to visit a loved one should practice good hand hygiene and follow the proper steps for cleaning their hands, which are on signs posted around the hospital. Specifically:

• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water, or use an alcohol-based gel;

• Avoid touching your eyes, notes and mouth;

• Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Use a tissue or your inner elbow, and do not sneeze into your hands. Discard the soiled tissue in a wastebasket and clean your hands.

“At Cooley Dickinson, we take the health and safety of our patients, visitors, and community members seriously,” the hospital said in a statement. For the most up-to-date information, visit the CDC or Massachusetts Department of Public Health website.