ST. LOUIS — Patients staying in Mercy hospitals in the St. Louis area will be able to welcome two visitors into their rooms, effective immediately.
Mercy announced Monday morning it’s loosening its previous restriction that limited patients to one visitor due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We understand the hardship visitor restrictions create for our patients, their families and loved ones, and for our own co-workers,” said Steve Mackin, Mercy executive vice president and Mercy Hospital St. Louis president. “We are thrilled to relax these restrictions as the transmission rate of COVID-19 decreases.”
The two-visitor policy applies to the following hospitals:
- Mercy Hospital St. Louis
- Mercy Hospital South
- Mercy Hospital Jefferson
- Mercy Hospital Washington
- Mercy Hospital Lincoln
While the visitor policy is loosening, the mask mandate will remain in place, Mercy officials said. Anyone who enters the hospital must continue wearing a mask.
“The pandemic is not over, so we must keep some restrictions in place. We look forward to our community making continued progress against the spread of this virus so we can further ease these restrictions and take steps toward our pre-pandemic world,” Mackin said.
Mercy also announced COVID-19 tests are no longer required for most people undergoing a procedure. The hospital system previously had patients get tested before a procedure. Now, vaccinated patients don’t have to get tested. Any patient who is unvaccinated, has symptoms or has been exposed to COVID-19 in their household must still be tested before a procedure.
Visitors and patients can read Mercy’s full list of restrictions, including a list of hospital visitor hours, on Mercy’s COVID-19 information page.