Visitor Restrictions Due to COVID-19

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Updated November 15, 2022

The rules for visiting patients at UCSF can change at any time, depending on what's happening with the pandemic and on government health orders. Please check this page for the latest information before you go.

Masking

All visitors must wear masks over their nose and mouth, and under their chin at all times when indoors. Masks are also required outside in a small zone around our doorways. Visitors who don't comply with these rules will be asked to leave the hospital.

Inpatient Visits

During COVID-19, the rules for visiting patients in our hospitals fall into three categories: Visitation Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3.

Our hospitals are currently at Visitation Level 2. Check the inpatient visitation rules chart below to see the rules and restrictions for this level.

Note that you cannot enter the patient care area until the patient you're visiting has received a negative COVID-19 test result. (All patients admitted to the hospital are tested for COVID-19.)

Visiting a COVID-positive patient. If the patient you're visiting has COVID-19, certain restrictions apply regardless of the hospital's current visitation level. See the chart below for rules about visiting COVID-positive patients.

Outpatient Visits

These rules apply if the patient you're visiting is at a UCSF clinic or doctor's office or undergoing an outpatient procedure. See our outpatient visitation chart for details.

Health Screening Questions

You'll be asked some COVID-19 health screening questions when you arrive, or you can answer the COVID-19 screening questions online on the day of your visit. 

Video Visits

You may visit a patient via video instead of in person. Please ask our staff for help arranging a video visit with a patient.

Inpatient Visiting Rules

General Visitation Level 2: Inpatient Areas (Patients Without COVID-19)
Patient Population	Visitors/Caregivers	Hours/Duration	Notes
Adult Inpatient	Two healthy visitors per calendar day	10 a.m. - 8 p.m.	One overnight visitor can be approved by the receiving unit.
Pediatric Inpatient (Oakland)	Two healthy caregivers per calendar day	One caregiver 24 hours per day. Two caregivers together 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.	Two primary caregivers on visitor list for duration of hospitalization. Patients who are critically ill or at end of life may have two caregivers 24 hours per day.
Pediatric Inpatient (San Francisco)	Two healthy caregivers per calendar day	Two caregivers 24 hours per day	Two primary caregivers on visitor list for duration of hospitalization.
Birth Center (Labor & Delivery/Maternity)	Two healthy visitors per calendar day	One visitor 24 hours per day. Two visitors together 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.	Doulas allowed in addition to two visitors at all hours during the labor phase of admission only.
Parnassus Emergency Department	One healthy visitor		Visitors are allowed only for patients with specific caregiving needs.
Mission Bay Emergency Department	Two healthy visitors for pediatric patients	All hours
Adult Surgery	One healthy visitor	During surgery hours	Escort to Surgical Waiting Area only. Necessary visitation in Pre-Op/PACU. Must wait off-site or in designated waiting areas.
Pediatric Surgery	Two healthy visitors	During surgery hours
Visitation by Minor Dependents
Dependents under age 18 may visit by request only. Inpatients at our pediatric and adult hospitals and Birth Center may request a scheduled visit from their minor dependents twice a week. Dependents must be able to pass screening and comply with masking (age 2 and older) and physical distancing rules. Visits must happen during visiting hours, which are 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Visits may not be longer than 4 hours. During respiratory virus season (typically from November to May), children under age 5 may not visit the hospital. (This rule is currently in effect for the 2022-2023 flu season.)

 

COVID-Positive Patients: Visiting Rules

The following restrictions apply to COVID-19 patients and outpatients regardless of the current visitation level.

General Visitation: Inpatient Areas (Patients With COVID-19)
Patient Population	Visitors/Caregivers	Hours/Duration	Notes
COVID-19 Adult	Two healthy visitors	10 a.m. - 8 p.m.	Visitors must stay in the room at all times.
COVID-19 Pediatric	1-2 healthy caregivers	All hours	Check with your unit nursing leaders regarding their policy.

 

Outpatient Visiting Rules

General Visitation: Outpatient Areas
Patient Population	Visitors/Caregivers	Hours/Duration	Notes
Adult Outpatient Clinics	One healthy visitor	Clinic hours	Clinics may ask visitor to wait in waiting area or outside if required for social distancing.
Pediatric Outpatient Clinics	Two healthy visitors	Clinic hours	Clinics may ask visitors to wait in waiting area or outside if required for social distancing.
Outpatient Surgery/Procedures	No general visitation	While surgery is in progress	Visitors are welcome in designated waiting areas.
Outpatient Radiology	No general visitation	While procedure is in progress	A visitor may escort patient to the waiting area only. One caregiver is allowed on advance request for patients with specific caregiving needs.
Dental Center	No general visitation	Clinic hours	One visitor is allowed for patients with specific caregiving needs.
Ob-Gyn Clinics & Prenatal Diagnostic Center	One healthy visitor	Clinic hours	Clinics may ask visitor to wait in waiting area or outside if required for social distancing.
Antenatal Testing Center	No general visitation	Clinic hours	One caregiver is allowed on advance request for patients with specific caregiving needs.
Center for Reproductive Health	One healthy visitor	Clinic hours	One visitor is allowed except during routine monitoring scans, due to space limitations.

 

General Visitation: Cancer Center
Patient Population	Visitors/Caregivers	Hours/Duration	Notes
Adult Solid Tumor Clinics (Mission Bay and Mount Zion)	One healthy visitor	Clinic hours	Clinics may ask visitor to wait in waiting area or outside if required for social distancing.
Adult Hematology/Bone Marrow Transplant, Immunotherapy Clinics and Infusion (Parnassus)	By exception only	Clinic hours	Visitors may accompany patients only as an exception. Patients scheduled for clinic visits should speak with the staff ahead of time to determine whether a visitor may accompany them. Decisions are made on a visit-by-visit basis. Patients should not show up with a visitor if not already approved.
Adult Infusion (Mount Zion and Mission Bay)	One healthy visitor per patient per day	Clinic hours	Space is limited, so visitors may be asked to wait outside if required for social distancing.
Adult Injection and Quick Infusion (Mission Bay and Mount Zion)	No general visitation	Clinic hours	No visitors in this area.
Adult Clinics and Infusion at Berkeley	One healthy visitor	Clinic hours	Clinics may ask visitor to wait in waiting area or outside if required for social distancing.
Adult Clinics and Infusion at San Mateo and Redwood City	One healthy visitor in clinic, by exception only in quick treatment and infusion	Clinic hours	Space is limited, so visitors may be asked to wait outside if required for social distancing.
Adult Radiation Oncology (Mount Zion and Parnassus)	By exception only	Clinic hours	Visitors may stay only as an exception. Patients scheduled for these treatments should speak with the staff ahead of time to determine whether a visitor may accompany them. Decisions are made on a visit-by-visit basis. Patients should not show up with a visitor if not already approved.
Adult Radiation Oncology (Mission Bay)	One healthy visitor	Clinic hours	Space is limited, so visitors may be asked to wait outside if required for social distancing.
Pediatric Infusion (Mission Bay)	One healthy visitor	Clinic hours	Space is limited, so visitors may be asked to wait outside if required for social distancing.

 

How Visitation Levels Are Determined

The Visitation leadership team will recommend moving to more restrictive visitation levels when at least two of the criteria for a stricter visitation are met. The Visitation leadership team will recommend moving to less restrictive visitation levels when all of the criteria for the lower level are met.

Guide to COVID Impact Tiers and Visitation Levels
	Low impact (Level 1)	Medium to high impact (Level 2)	Very high impact (Level 3)
Community COVID level (new COVID cases in SF Bay Area, per 100K people in 7 days)	Fewer than 50 cases	From 50 cases to 200 or more	Implemented on recommendation of the Visitation Working Group, in consultation with the hospital incident commander
Hospital COVID level (new COVID admissions in SF Bay Area, per 100K people in 7 days)	Fewer than 10 admissions	From 10 admissions to 20 or more	See above
UCSF COVID level (new COVID cases in past 7 days)	Fewer than 50 cases	From 50 cases to 300 or more	See above
Health order in place	Visitation order not active	Visitation order active	Visitation order active

 

Exceptions for Inpatient, Emergency Department and Birth Center (Necessary Visitation)

• Visits to patients who are at the end of their life (have less than six months to live, are on comfort care, or are being discharged to hospice as their next level of care).
• Visits by anyone who is legally authorized to make decisions for the patient, whether by operation of a durable power of attorney (DPOA) or conservatorship, or in the role of a surrogate decision-maker as recognized by the care provider team for patients who lack decisional capacity.
• Support people for patients with cognitive impairment or other neurological injury (such as stroke) or for patients who have developed hospital delirium or dementia, where the consistent presence of the visitor is necessary to reduce the risk of medical or clinical harm.
• Support people for patients who require assistance because of developmental disabilities, physical disabilities or limitations, or cognitive impairment.
• Visits by family and legal advisers to update a patient's will or other legal papers.
• Unique situations in which the visiting needs should be discussed with the on-site nursing director.

Additional Exception: Birth Center (Labor & Delivery/Maternity)

• Doulas will be allowed in addition to the one essential visitor for all Birth Center patients while they are in labor (subject to change based on COVID-19 surge status).

Additional Exceptions: Inpatient Stay and Come-and-Go Surgeries

• Visits by anyone who is legally authorized to make decisions for the patient, whether by operation of a DPOA or conservatorship, or in the role of a surrogate decision-maker as recognized by the care provider team for patients who lack decisional capacity.
• Support people for patients with physical or developmental disabilities who require assistance (for example, patients with severe hearing loss, dementia or aphasia and patients who are wheelchair-bound or have a left ventricular assist device).
• Minors are allowed one adult visitor.
• Family members of patients who are in end-of-life care or experiencing an acute life-threatening event that makes them unlikely to survive the current hospital stay, in the judgment of the health care team.
• Patients and family members who would benefit from face-to-face caregiving instructions, either because of the complexity of the material or because of the needs of the patient or caregivers.

Information for Families of Patients in Our Hospitals

• Patients and their loved ones must designate a single individual to be the point of contact for all information and conversations with the health care team.
• The designated point of contact will be responsible for sharing information with family members or loved ones who should have this information.
• The designated point of contact will hear from a care team member at least once a day for regular updates or more frequently if the patient's condition or treatment changes significantly.
• Some exceptions may apply, as determined by the health care team.

COVID-19 Self-Screener

Everyone entering UCSF campus or health facilities must complete a daily self-screening survey. You can use our on-demand COVID self-screener from your mobile phone before coming on campus – or when you arrive – by visiting tiny.ucsf.edu/entry on your mobile phone or by scanning the QR code below.

Your privacy: Responses to the self-screening are only used to determine whether you have symptoms of or potential exposure to COVID-19. Learn more: Privacy Policy for the Symptom Screening Program

Smoke-Free Policy

UCSF is a smoke-free environment. Smoking in and around the hospitals and affiliated sites is prohibited. Hospital patients who smoke will receive nicotine replacement therapy and counseling by our smoking cessation team. Nicotine replacement products are available in our hospital gift shops.