Coronavirus

Main Content

Temporary Visitor Restrictions

University of Mississippi Medical Center Visitor Policy in response to COVID-19: Updated August 12, 2021

The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) is committed to keeping our patients, staff, students and visitors safe as we continue to respond to the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).  We are taking measures to prevent the spread of this novel coronavirus at our Jackson-based hospitals (Wiser, Children’s, University and Conerly) and adult ambulatory clinics in the Jackson-metro area.

  • Visitors meeting one or more of the criteria below are not allowed to enter under any circumstances:
    • Symptoms:
      • Fever or feeling feverish, chills or sweats
      • Cough
      • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
      • Sore throat
      • Recently developed loss of taste or smell
      • Vomiting or diarrhea
    • Under home isolation order per MSDH or awaiting a COVID-19 test result
  • Visitors are required to wear a mask at all times and should stay in the patient’s room or associated waiting room during the entirety of their visit. Visitors must remain masked in the patient room at all times unless sleeping or eating.
  • To maintain social distancing guidelines of 6 feet or greater, visitors may be asked to leave waiting room spaces.
  • Visitors should not bring large groups, including family members, to the hospital. Non-authorized persons are not permitted to congregate on UMMC grounds outside of the hospital.
  • Visitors are not permitted in adult isolation rooms or any room where a patient with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 positive status is located unless end-of-life visitation is permitted under certain strict limitations.

Effective Monday, August 16, 2021, and until further notice, the visitor policy for all Jackson-based UMMC adult hospitals is as follows:

  • Adult patients are permitted to have one adult (at least 18 years old) visitor at a time. Upon admission, up to two designated adult visitors can be identified to function as part of the patient’s care team. Only one of the designated adult visitors may be inside the hospital at any given time. Regular visitation hours are defined as 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., 7 days a week.
  • Overnight visitors are not allowed to leave the hospital and return if outside of regular visitation hours. If an overnight visitor exits a hospital after 7 p.m., they will not be allowed re-entry until 10 a.m. the next day.
  • To allow for visitor changes with overnight stays, switching of the patient visitor is allowed one time per day for adult patients being cared for in University and Wiser hospitals. Switching patient visitors must be done at approved hospital entrances and must be coordinated through the safety screener on duty.
  • Visiting hours for intensive care units are 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., 7 days a week. Two visitors may be designated for the patient, but only one is permitted to visit per day with no swapping within a single day. Visitors of patients in intensive care are not allowed overnight visitation.
  • Patients are allowed to arrive on the day of their scheduled surgery/procedure beginning at 5:15 a.m.
  • Adult Emergency Department and Women’s Urgent Care patients who are not on isolation may have one adult visitor after being placed in a room. Visitors are not permitted in emergency room waiting areas or in isolation rooms.

Children’s of Mississippi patients are permitted to be accompanied by two adult parents, guardians or caregivers, with certain restrictions.The Children’s of Mississippi policy can be found here.

Exceptions to these visitor policies include:

  • Patients determined by the care team to be at the end-of-life may be visited by members of the immediate family under the direction of the patient’s care team. Visiting hours and age restrictions do not apply.
  • Efforts are made to grant requests from a patient or family member for visits from a chaplain, chaplain intern, Eucharistic minister, community clergy or other spiritual advisor if the patient is not in an isolation room.

Patients and visitors entering a hospital facility, including for an appointment at a hospital-based clinic or procedural unit, must use one of four available entrances where they will receive a COVID-19 screening:

  • The front entrance of University Hospital (under the overhang facing State Street near Garage A)
  • The front entrance of Children’s of Mississippi-Sanderson Tower (under the overhang facing Woodrow Wilson near Garage C)
  • The side entrance to Wiser Hospital for Women and Children (under the overhang facing Garage B)
  • The front entrance to University Physicians Pavilion (COVID-19 screening done at clinic check in desk, not a front door.)

Visitor compliance with safety precautions is required:

  • Frequent hand washing
  • Social distancing
  • Wear a mask over nose and mouth
  • Provide truthful responses to screening questions
  • Self-monitor for symptoms of illness.

Additional information for patients and visitors to adult ambulatory clinics in the Jackson-metro area:

  • All patients and visitors are required to wear a mask for the duration of the visit.
  • Signage is posted reminding visitors to social distance in the waiting areas.
  • Adult patients should come alone to their appointment, unless special assistance is required. In those circumstances, one adult caregiver is allowed to accompany the patient.
  • In the Fetal Center, one adult may accompany the patient
  • Pediatric patients in adult clinics may be accompanied by up to two caregivers. No siblings allowed at the visits.
  • In the event that a patient cannot meet these guidelines, front desk staff will confer with the patient’s care team to determine if the patient has an immediate need to be seen. If so, the patient and visitor will be transitioned to the exam room immediately and move through the visit as efficiently as possible. If not, the patient will be rescheduled.

Armbands are provided to identify approved visitors at the point of entry and must be visibly worn at all times.

We encourage our patient families to visit remotely using telephone or video chat.

Masks and frequent handwashing are required to protect our patients, employees, students and visitors from the spread of germs and viruses.  

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we make efforts to meet the needs of our patients and their support systems, while continuing to take steps to limit exposure and spread of COVID-19.

Click here to access the UMMC Grenada Visitor Policy.