Maui Health updates visitor policy amid “rapid rise” in COVID-19 cases

Maui Health’s Emergency Operations Center team is updating its visitor policy effective today, due to the rapid rise of COVID-19 cases in the community.

“It is evident that COVID-19 is actively spreading. Currently, the Maui County positivity rate is at 9.6%. Most concerning is the rapid increase of the highly transmissible Omicron variant on island,” according to Maui Health.

“This pace of increased community spread is all too familiar to Maui Health and with the many lessons learned throughout the duration of this pandemic, we are proactively instituting many of the safety precautions we know will help protect our employees, providers, patients, and visitors,” Maui Health announced in a press release. “This includes limiting visitation and access to Maui Memorial Medical Center.”

Effective Wednesday Dec. 29, 2021 no visitors will be allowed entry to MMMC, with the exception of the following:

• One OB support person
• One pre-existing American Disability Act conditions support person
• One Parent/guardian of pediatric patients
• Up to two visitors per patient for end of life, comfort care and/or significant changes in condition

“We understand the important role that loved ones provide in the health and well-being of our patients, but also recognize the need to reduce the potential and unintentional introduction of the virus into the hospital,” according to the Maui Health announcement. 

The hospital team will continue to monitor the Maui County and state positivity rates for signs of reduced viral spread.  “In the interim, patients can connect with their loved ones virtually and our caregivers will help coordinate the use of a device if they do not have access to one,” according to the announcement.

Maui Health maintains that “the best protection from COVID-19 and its variants is the vaccine, especially the booster dose for those already fully vaccinated.” 

Information on how to receive the vaccine at Maui Health is available online at www.mauihealth.org/covid19.