**** NSHA Media Release
Nova Scotia Health Visitor Restrictions
Nova Scotia Health is further easing restrictions to allow more opportunities for family caregivers and primary support persons to support patients where it is feasible and safe to do so within public health guidelines.
In an effort to enhance family presence and increase the number of people able to provide support, patients arriving for ambulatory appointments will now be permitted to have one support person accompany them.
Effective July 16, support people/family caregivers are permitted for patients in the following situations:
Three designated family/primary support person(s) or family caregivers are welcomed:
- Palliative care and other patients nearing end of life*
- Patients receiving medical assistance in dying MAiD*
Two family/primary support person(s) or family caregivers are welcomed:
- Children under 18 admitted to hospital.
- Patients in intensive care units and critically ill patients in emergency departments
- Patients in labour and giving birth
One family/primary support person or family caregivers are welcomed:
- Children under 18 in outpatient settings
- Hospital inpatients*
- Patients in emergency departments
- Prenatal visits, including ultrasounds
- Ambulatory care clinics, appointments or procedures
* Please note, hospital inpatients are asked to identify three support people per week. One will be permitted to visit at a time. Palliative patients and others nearing end of life may identify a maximum of five designated support people. Three of these designated support people may visit each day and can visit at the same time where space permits.
If you have questions about these exceptions, please talk to your care team.
If you feel unwell or have felt unwell in the past 48 hours (fever/chills/sweats, new or worsening cough or sore throat, runny nose, headache or shortness of breath), are supposed to be self-isolating due to travel, or are waiting for results of COVID-19 test results, please do not visit.
