Visiting rules eased at Western Trust hospitals

VISITING restrictions at Western Trust facilities have been eased to allow patients to have one visitor per week.

The Trust introduced an outright ban on visiting in most instances late last month in response to growing staff absences caused by the highly transmissible Omicron Covid variant.

The change, which came into effect on Monday evening, will allow one visitor (from two nominees) to visit for one hour, once a week (running Monday to Sunday).

A spokesperson for the Trust said, “There remains a continued high level of COVID-19 transmission in the community and, while pressures including staff absences also continue to be a challenge, the Western Trust understand the significant importance that visiting patients in our hospitals provides.”

Anyone visiting patients in hospitals have been strongly encouraged by the Trust to take a lateral flow test and face masks must be worn when on site.

The temporary measures are set to be reviewed again on January 22.