CLEVELAND — Editor's note: The video in the player above is from a previously published, related story.
In response to the surge of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Cuyahoga County and around Northeast Ohio, MetroHealth is changing its rules when it comes to visitors inside of hospitals.
Effective Wednesday, December 22, all visitors and patients will be required to wear masks at all times, even if fully vaccinated. Additionally, visitation hours have now been shifted to Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., and Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Patients inside of MetroHealth facilities will also be limited to one visitor each day, aged 18 or older. New guidelines also state that visitors are not able to return to a hospital that day after leaving.
Labor and delivery patients will be allowed one visitor in triage/labor, and one additional visitor in recovery.
COVID-19 patients are unable to receive visitors inside of MetroHealth hospitals at this time.
For more information on MetroHealth's new visitation policy, click HERE.
On Tuesday, the Ohio Department of Health reported more than 12,000 new cases of COVID-19 in a 24 hour period. Just hours earlier, health officials from Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals held a briefing urging Ohioans to get their COVID-19 vaccine and booster shot to protect themselves and others from the virus, and the rapidly spreading omicron variant.
MORE RELATED COVID-19 HEADLINES:
- RELATED: COVID-19 in Ohio: State reports 12,502 new cases in the last 24 hours
- RELATED: Tuesday evening 'Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Musical' performance at Akron Civic Theatre canceled due to crew member testing positive for COVID-19
- RELATED: Omicron is now the second most contagious virus on the planet: University Hospitals doctor addresses infection rate
- RELATED: New Cleveland COVID-19 testing site stops accepting additional patients Tuesday due to high demand
- RELATED: 'We need your help now more than ever': Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals address impact of COVID surge