Important information for visitors to our hospitals – Monday, 20 December 2021

All NSW Health facilities are now in Red Alert Status (high transmission risk of COVID-19).

Due to this, NSW Health has temporarily restricted visitors to all healthcare facilities due to increasing transmission rates with the emergence of the Omicron variant.

NSW Health has not made this decision lightly. We must always prioritise our vulnerable patients and staff who are arguably the most vital workers needed in a pandemic.

From Monday 20 December, no visitors will be permitted to WSLHD facilities without an exemption.

It is absolutely essential that we keep COVID out of our facilities for the safety of our staff and vulnerable patients.

WSLHD will apply a risk assessment to allow local exemptions on a case-by-case basis. Any person permitted to visit must agree to wear a mask and follow advice from health care staff.

All visitors will need to submit an online visitor request here.

Clarification around categories for which visitors will be considered following a risk assessment are:

• Women in labour and postnatal care: One support person (participant in care) can be approved for antenatal, birth and postnatal inpatient care. Siblings of the newborn infant are also permitted entry in antenatal and postnatal inpatient settings.
• End of Life/Palliative patients: Two people can be approved to visit patients who are at end of life.
• Neonatal and Special Care Nursery patients: The parents of the infant will be permitted to visit Special Care Nursery (SCN) and/or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
• Paediatric patients: One parent can be approved to attend ward/clinic with a patient under 16.
• Clinic patients requiring support can have one person accompany them to their appointment. The support person must submit an online visitor request and must be fully vaccinated and wear a surgical mask at all times.
• Patients who are seriously ill can have visitors outside of visiting hours at the discretion of the ward manager.   The visiting hours do not apply to support persons in birthing and post-natal units.

Due to the risk of COVID transmission, people in our emergency departments will continue to be allowed one support person who must submit an online visitor request – this policy remains unchanged.

We will continue to monitor the evolving situation and update our advice for visitors accordingly.

Get vaccinated, get boosted

All people aged 12 and up can get their COVID-19 vaccination now.

Everyone aged 18 years and older may now receive a booster five months after receiving their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

We urge people to get their booster dose as soon as they are eligible, to best protect yourself, your loved ones and the community from the ongoing transmission of COVID-19.

Vaccinations are available at The Granville Centre Vaccination Clinic, Blacktown Hospital Vaccination Clinic or here.

If you have COVID symptoms, please get tested and isolate until you have a negative result – even if you’re fully vaccinated. To find your nearest clinic visit here.