Family reacts to UR Medicine and Rochester Regional visitor restrictions
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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — Visitor restrictions will be back inside our local area hospitals this week. There are some exceptions, but the one thing they all have in common is COVID-19 patients are not allowed any visitors.
One local family says their daughter is in and out of Golisano Children’s Hospital and they can’t help but feel anxious about the restrictions.
"When they first started restrictions, I was the only parent allowed, my wife didn’t get to see Charlotte we had to choose one of us to be with her,” Ethan Byrne said.
Two-year-old Charlotte Byrne was diagnosed with holoprosencephaly, which is a disorder that affects brain development.
Her parents explained why the last round of restrictions was a nightmare for them.
"They wouldn’t let me leave the room to get food, or I would order a meal and it just wouldn’t show up, it was kind of a nightmare so I hope they have things more figured out now,” Byrne said.
Charlotte Byrne[Ethan Byrne]
UR Medicine says there will be no visitation for adult COVID-positive patients and non-COVID patients may have a total of two designated visitors, but only one visitor per day.
Rochester Regional’s protocols are more strict. There is no visitation is allowed for COVID-19 positive patients, emergency department patients and cancer infusion center patients but there are some exceptions.
Each COVID negative patient can have one visitor at a time who must be 12 years or older. Different visitors can visit the patient throughout the day as long as it is limited to one at a time.
Charlotte’s parents are the exception to the rule since they have a pediatric patient. Two support persons and one visitor are allowed in their case.
They know COVID has taken the lives of children just like her, so they understand the need for a stricter visitation policy.
"The delta variant seems worse for children so we’re worried about that but we understand the need to lock down more,” Byrne added.
Click here for more information about Rochester Regional and URMC’s visitor restrictions.