Central Ohio's hospitals are once again banning most visitors due to increasing coronavirus cases in the area.
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, OhioHealth and Mount Carmel Health System will not allow inpatient and emergency room visitors starting on Wednesday. The hospitals say the move will help protect the health and safety of patients, hospital staff and families.
Exceptions to the restrictions on visitors include maternity and end-of-life patients, as well as patients with impairments or patients who are minors, according to a press release from Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center.
Visitors who are allowed in the hospitals must wear an approved mask at all times, including while in patient rooms. Masks are available at the entrances of each hospital. Visitors must also be COVID-19 symptom free, including no fever, dry cough, shortness of breath as well as recent exposure to someone with the virus.
The local hospitals closed their facilities to visitors at the beginning of the pandemic, but eased the bans months later.
