Tauranga Hospital is reminding patients that they should attend hospital appointments as normal at alert level 2.

However, some temporary changes have been made to their visitor policy.

'Entry to the hospitals is only through the front entrances and you will be asked to sign in using the COVID-19 QR Code or fill in a tracing form," says Bay of Plenty District Health Board incident controller Karen Smith.

Changes to the hospital visitor policy are as follows:
· Visitor hours 8am- 8pm
· All visitors to be health screened at the main entrance to ensure they are well
· All visitors to scan in or fill in contact tracing forms

High-Risk areas

• Intensive Care Unit (ICU) / High Dependency Unit (HDU) / Acute Care Unit (ACU) / Mental Health & Addiction Services two (2) approved visitors per patient per day.

Maternity

• Labour and birth - two nominated support persons.
• Following birth, one nominated support person at a time may visit once daily and stay as long as the woman wants.
• Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) - Mothers and one nominated support person per day (same person each day and not at the same time as the mother).

· All other hospital areas – one visitor at a time per patient, and a maximum of two visitors per day.

Visitor restrictions will remain until Wednesday at midnight.