Hospital Visitation Policy

Restrictions For Child Visitors

• Neonatal ICU: From October through March, children under age 18 years shall not be allowed to visit newborns except under exceptional circumstances (will require approval by nurse or physician).
• All other Pediatric Units, Mother-Baby Unit, Labor and Delivery, High Risk OB and Nurseries: Healthy brothers and sisters of the baby shall be allowed to visit so long as they are not experiencing any respiratory symptoms or fever. All other children under 8 years of age are not allowed to visit regardless of whether they have symptoms.
• Adult Units: Children under 8 years of age will not be allowed to visit a patient, regardless of symptoms unless under exceptional circumstances (will require approval by a nurse).  

Restrictions For Child’s Parent/Family Caregiver Who Has Upper Respiratory Symptoms (For All Pediatric and Neonatal Units)

• Confirmed or suspected upper respiratory virus infection (URI), including influenza (Flu) but excluding COVID infection: Parent/family caregiver should avoid close contact with the patient until the following conditions have been met:
• If confirmed to have the Flu, must have received antiviral medications for at least 48 hours.
• Fever has fully resolved without the use of fever-reducing medication like Tylenol for at least 24 hours.
• Cough and sneezing must be substantially improved.
• Must follow additional procedures when visiting or caring for the infant (see below).
  • Washing hands
  • Putting on a gown and gloves and wearing a face mask for at least 10 days after the onset of URI symptoms
• Exceptions to this restriction under exceptional circumstances will need physician approval.
• If confirmed to have COVID, please follow the ‘Visitors with COVID Infection’ policy below.

Restrictions For Visitors Who Have COVID Infection:

• Visitors with COVID infection should defer non-urgent in-person visitation until 10 days after the onset of symptoms (or test date) AND being afebrile for at least 24 hours AND symptoms have improved substantially.
• Exceptions to this restriction under exceptional circumstances will need physician approval.

Restrictions for Visiting a COVID+ Child:

• In the General Pediatrics Unit and Pediatric ICU, patients may have two (2) designated primary caregivers with them at any given time.
• The designated caregiver for COVID-positive pediatric patients must remain in the patient’s room. If the caregivers must leave the room, they must don a medical face mask while visiting other areas of the hospital.
• No other visitors are allowed while the child is in isolation.

Restrictions for Visiting a COVID+ Adult:

• One designated healthy adult (age 18 years or older) will be allowed a 60-minute visit per day. Exceptions to this restriction under exceptional circumstances will need physician approval.
• The specific visitation time will be scheduled through the patient’s bedside nurse ahead of the visit. (These visits will be scheduled between the hours of 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.)
• The visitor must wear appropriate PPE, supplied by UTMB: Two (2) medical face masks or a KN-95 mask covering the mouth and nose, and a gown and gloves.
• NOTE: Under exceptional circumstances, an attending physician may place an order NOT to allow visitation on specific days, such as when a patient is undergoing multiple invasive treatment procedures or if there is a shortage of appropriate PPE.

Screening Of Visitors During Winter Respiratory Virus Season

• Neonatal ICU, Mother-Baby Unit, Labor and Delivery, High Risk OB and Nurseries: All visitors and parents/family caregivers will be screened for respiratory illness by the unit front desk staff.
• NICU: Visitation is further restricted so that only two persons (specified by the mother and in addition to her identified support figure holding the second baby bracelet) may visit the baby.
• General Pediatric Unit and Pediatric ICU: All visitors will be alerted via notice at the unit entrance to self-screen for respiratory illness and to speak with the unit nurse, if necessary, for guidance.
• Adult Units: All visitors will be alerted via notices at hospital entrances and near patient care areas to self-screen for respiratory illness and to speak with the unit nurse, if necessary, for guidance.
• Respiratory Symptoms: Visitors with any of the following symptoms will not be allowed to visit unless approved by the unit nurse for exceptional circumstances:
• Cough
• Nasal congestion
• Runny nose
• Sore throat
• Fever

• All visitors are requested but not required to wear face masks provided by UTMB while in hospital areas.
• All visitors must be healthy and free of fever and/or respiratory symptoms.
  All visitors should be free from recent exposure to infectious diseases and without fever or visible signs of illness. During times of infectious outbreak in the community (e.g., flu, measles, mumps, chicken pox, COVID-19, etc.), the Department of Healthcare Epidemiology may recommend restrictions on visitation. Visitors to patients in isolation are subject to isolation guidelines and personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements.
• All visitors are expected to conduct themselves in an appropriate and courteous manner.
• UTMB is a non-smoking institution, and smoking is prohibited at any UTMB facility.
• Visitors under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult other than the patient. In some units and during times of higher infection risks, additional precautions or restrictions are in place for visiting minors (see below).

• Overnight visitation is allowed at the discretion of the unit charge nurse based on patient need and/or request. Visitors of patients may be authorized to remain in public waiting areas overnight by the unit charge nurse.
• Staff at the reception desk will issue a visitor pass for visitors entering the hospital between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., and record the visitor’s name and destination. All visitors should check with the patient’s nurse for additional standards or restrictions specific to an area or patient.

UTMB Health clinics welcome visitors. The type and number of visitors present in the exam or procedure room may be restricted or limited by staff as clinically necessary to facilitate care and ensure patient privacy.

Get additional information about visiting clinics, masking requirements, appointments and more.