South Nassau Hospital Restricting Visitors Due To Coronavirus

OCEANSIDE, NY — To help stop the spread of the new coronavirus among patients, Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital announced today that it was implementing a no-visitor policy.

The hospital, located at 1 Healthy Way in Oceanside, announced that it was not permitting visitors in any of its departments. The policy went into effect Tuesday night. The policy applies to the hospital's main campus, as well as emergency units, inpatient units and ambulatory sites.

There are some exceptions to the rule. Patients in the pediatrics/NICU, maternity and postpartum, end of life/palliative care and ambulatory geriatric units are allowed to have one healthy visitor each. One healthy person is allowed to pick up patients who are being discharged. One healthy person is allowed to assist people coming to the emergency room, which includes pediatric patients, who are allowed one healthy parent or caregiver.

"While these are difficult changes, they are necessary steps aimed at achieving our top priority: the safety and health of our staff and patients," the hospital wrote in a release.

The hospital asks visitors with cold or flu-like symptoms to please stay home. The hospital may turn away visitors who exhibit symptoms.