If you want to visit a loved one at the North Hastings Hospital, you’ll need to be vaccinated.
Effective Tuesday, December 7th, all care partners and visitors must have proof of full vaccination and ID to enter the hospital. A vaccine receipt or a vaccine certificate with a QR code will be accepted. Quinte Healthcare says that staff and patients are at greater risk of COVID-19 infection, and an outbreak could strain resources.
However, QHC says that there will be some exceptions to the rule. Care partners for maternity or pediatric patients will be exempt, as well as those ineligible for full vaccination. Visiting loved ones for patients at the end of their life will also be exempt. Those who are exempt still need to show a negative COVID-19 test in the last 72 hours or submit to a rapid antigen test on location.
The move comes after a major increase in case numbers for the Hastings Prince Edward Public Health. As of writing, there are 173 active cases in the region with 21 outbreaks. Most cases are centred around the Belleville and Quinte West areas, with only two active cases reported in North Hastings.