Visitor Policies to Maintain Health and Safety
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Updated October 1, 2025
UCSF prioritizes the safety of our care providers, staff, patients and visitors. To prevent the spread of disease, we require everyone entering UCSF facilities to follow basic infection control measures. These include:
- If you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms, get tested.
- If you have had a COVID-19 exposure, use our digital health screener for guidance on next steps.
The rules for visiting patients at UCSF are subject to change at any time.
Outpatient visits
Patients are allowed at least one visitor during clinic appointments. For additional visitors, check with the clinic to see whether they can accommodate this. During adult outpatient visits, visitors are welcome in designated waiting areas and may be allowed to enter the exam room if space permits.
Inpatient visits
You may come to see a patient hospitalized at UCSF during regular visiting hours (8 a.m. to 10 p.m.) or during the hours specified by a given department. Check the information below for more details. Please do not visit if you have symptoms of a respiratory illness.
Visitor guidelines
| Unit | Adult patients | Pediatric patients |
|---|---|---|
| Surgical units |
One healthy visitor allowed per patient. Visitors may be asked to remain in designated waiting areas. Visiting hours: During surgery hours |
Two healthy visitors allowed per patient. Visiting hours: During surgery hours |
| Inpatient units (including Birth Center) |
No limit to number of visitors admitted daily. Depending on room size, limit of two visitors at a time at the bedside. Visiting hours: 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. One overnight visitor/caregiver allowed, per unit discretion. |
Limit of two healthy visitors at a time at the bedside. Visitors must be on the patient’s approved visitor list. Visiting hours: 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. One overnight essential caregiver allowed. |
| Emergency departments |
One healthy visitor per adult patient at our Parnassus and Stanyan emergency departments. Emergency Department Hyde allows two visitors at a time. Visiting hours: All hours |
Two healthy visitors per patient at our pediatric emergency departments. Visiting hours: All hours |
Video visits
You may visit a patient remotely (via real-time video) instead of in person. Please ask our staff for help arranging a video visit.
Visiting rules during flu season
From November 1 to April 30, we take extra precautions to minimize the spread of respiratory viruses. During this period, we don't allow children under 5 to visit patients in our children's hospitals. We may ask visitors to complete a health screening questionnaire or take additional preventive measures.
COVID-19 self-screener
Visitors no longer need to complete the digital self-screener before entering UCSF facilities, but the on-demand COVID-19 self-screener is still available for guidance on how to handle COVID-19 symptoms, exposures and infections.
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.
Designating a family contact person
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.
Masking
Masks are optional for patients and visitors in UCSF facilities. We strongly recommend wearing a mask at the following times:
- During every respiratory virus season, from November 1 to April 30
- During sustained periods of high community transmission of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, RSV and influenza
- When you are experiencing respiratory virus symptoms
We provide surgical masks to anyone who asks for one. Masks differ in the degree of protection they provide. We encourage you to wear a facility-provided mask, but you may also choose to wear a mask that provides a higher level of protection (N95, KN95 or KF94).
UCSF staff are required to wear masks in patient care areas during every respiratory virus season and during sustained periods of high community transmission. Patients and their families can ask their health care team members to wear masks at any time during the year.
Please respect and support everyone's individual decisions, including those who choose to continue wearing a mask. Masking helps protect others in our community who may be immunocompromised or at greater risk of serious illness.
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 counselling by our smoking cessation team. Nicotine replacement products are available in our hospital gift shops.