Duke, UNC, WakeMed all lift visitor restrictions at hospitals

The Triangle's major hospitals have all lifted visitor restrictions as respiratory illness declines in the Triangle.

Duke

Due to a significant decrease of respiratory illnesses in the Triangle, all Duke University Health System hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers removed patient visitation restrictions.

The previous restrictions limited daytime visitors of hospital and ambulatory surgery patients to no more than two people aged 12 and older. The move was part of a multi-step approach to protect patients and prevent the spread of influenza, RSV and COVID-19 at Duke University hospitals.

Duke's visitation guidelines include the following restrictions:

• Up to four visitors at a time where space permits; switching is allowed.
• Visiting hours for inpatient, bone marrow transplant, and ICU units: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily.
• Visiting hours for maternity, end of life, emergency department, procedural and perioperative surgical units: 24/7 access.
• Visitors of all ages are allowed in inpatient, maternity and ambulatory spaces.
• Visitors must be 18+ in perioperative, surgical and procedural areas.

WakeMed

Children under 12 are once again welcome in all hospital nursing units and patient care areas across WakeMed due to a decline in respiratory illnesses, More information can be found online.

UNC Health

Age-based visitor restrictions will be lifted March 25 at UNC Hospitals, UNC Health Rex and UNC Health Chatham for some areas across inpatient hospitals.

The changes will go in effect at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, and Youth Behavioral Health in Butner campuses; UNC Health Rex in Raleigh and Holly Springs; and at UNC Health Chatham in Siler City:

• Visitors aged 11 and younger will no longer be prohibited from inpatient areas and waiting rooms.
• All visitors with respiratory symptoms will be prohibited from these same areas.
• Normal visiting policies will remain in effect for the remaining areas within UNC Hospitals.
• Healthy visitors of any age will remain welcome in our lobbies and retail/food locations.

Other hospitals in the UNC Health system set their own visitor restrictions and policies based on local trends and other factors.