Visitor policies

Information about visiting or accompanying a patient

Last updated April 1, 2021

We know there are a few situations when having a loved one (visitor) present is necessary to care delivery. In these cases, visitors will be allowed based on the exceptions listed below.

However, in all cases, loved ones are only allowed if they do not have symptoms of illness (such as fever, runny nose, cough, shortness of breath).

Visitors are not permitted for COVID-positive patients or infectious isolation patients.

Two visitors will need to be identified and designated by each patient before visiting (the Pavilion information desk will have a record of the designated visitors, who must remain the same for the patient’s stay).

Visitors will be screened and welcomed between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., and visitors must stay in the room with the patient during the entire visit. Visitors may briefly access the cafeteria, while practicing physical distancing and keeping time spent in the public spaces brief.

• Labor and Delivery patients may have two support persons/partners. If desired by the patient, a doula is also permitted to be present if prior arrangements have been made with the hospital and the doula follows hospital PPE and infection control guidelines. View our birth center visitor page for more information.
• Patients who are at the end-of-life may have two loved ones at a time at the bedside, and may rotate additional loved ones on the designated visitor list.
• Patients who have an appointment at UC Davis ambulatory clinics, Cancer Center, laboratory, radiology or for surgery, may have one loved one with them.
• All pediatric patients, including in the NICU and PICU, may have two designated visitors.
• Visitors under the age of 16 are not permitted.

Visitors are not permitted for adult COVID-positive patients during the 14-day quarantine period or while the patient is in enhanced droplet/contact precautions, including in the Emergency Department. For pediatric COVID-19 positive patients: One parent/guardian may quarantine with the patient, in the patient’s room, so long as the parent/guardian has no more than mild COVID-19 symptoms and the parent/guardian does not leave the room. If the parent/guardian does leave the room, they can no longer stay with the child. (Meals will be provided.)

In any of these scenarios, loved ones will be screened for flu-like symptoms, i.e. fever, cough, sore throat.  Visitors are required to wear a mask covering their nose and mouth for the entire time and length of the visit.

Emergency Department patients can have one loved one with them, who must be 18 or older. Visitors must stay at bedside and not in the waiting room.

• ED patients may have one designated visitor with no symptoms of illness, who must stay and may not rotate with another visitor, unless the patient is less than 18 years of age in which case parents may rotate with each other.
• Dying patients (patients receiving comfort care), or patients with a life-threatening diagnosis, may have two loved ones at the bedside.
• Patients in the Admission Pathway area may have one visitor at bedside, during visiting hours only (9 a.m. - 9 p.m.).
• Patients admitted and in the ED > 24 hours may have one visitor at bedside, during visiting hours only (9 a.m. - 9 p.m.).
• All patients and visitors must wear hospital-issued surgical masks.
• Patients who are COVID-positive may NOT have visitors.
• Visitors allowed by this policy must stay at bedside

Patients who have an appointment at UC Davis ambulatory clinics, laboratory, or radiology may have one loved one with them. Masking policies will be in place for the entire time and length of the visit. 

View our outpatient policy for caregivers at UC Davis Health clinics

Are there restrictions for a visitor entering the hospital?

In any situation, the visitor will be screened before each visit for symptoms of illness, i.e., fever, cough, sore throat, etc. The visitor will be required to wear a mask for the entire visit. 

Visitors must stay in their patient's room for the entire time of the visit. Visitors are permitted to access the cafeteria, and are encouraged and expected to practice social distancing, and to keep the time in public spaces brief. The hospital’s information desk in the Pavilion will be given a list of patients who qualify to have visitors.

What are other options besides in-person visiting?

• Call the patient on a cell phone
• Use video calling services like FaceTime or Skype
• Use instant messaging services like Facebook Messenger or Snapchat
• Call the patient’s room through the main hospital switchboard at 916-734-2011.

UC Davis Health can provide an iPad for a patient to video call loved ones (via Zoom or other digital platforms).

Why are you restricting visitors?

Our care philosophy has always emphasized family and loved ones as part of the healing process. However, due to the ongoing community spread of COVID-19 and the local public health emergencies, we must take extra steps to protect our patients, staff, visitors and the community.

The decision to restrict visitors was difficult and made only after very careful considerations. With group spread within families now one of the main ways the virus is currently being transmitted, we are working to balance the needs of families with the need to protect other patients and health care workers from virus spread. Nearly every patient in the hospital is at an elevated level of risk for complications from COVID-19.

The California Department of Public Health recently adopted similar guidelines to UC Davis Health's pediatric visitor guidelines.

What are coronavirus and COVID-19?

Coronavirus are a family of viruses that cause illnesses from the common cold to SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome). Symptoms include fever, shortness of breath and other flu-like symptoms. 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which was first discovered in Wuhan, China, has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). 

For more information, please visit our coronavirus information and resources page.

Our goal

Our goal in introducing these visitor restrictions is to protect you, your loved ones, other patients in the hospital and our staff. Patient and public safety are always our top priorities. Thank you again for your understanding during this difficult time.