Cornwall Community Hospital is currently in full visitor restrictions as part of the hospital’s ongoing response to COVID-19.
Visitation appointments must be booked in advance. To book a visitation appointment, please call 613-938-4240 ext. 4778 between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm, 7 days a week.
To ensure the safety of everyone entering the hospital, beginning November 1, 2021, visitors and essential care partners entering Cornwall Community Hospital will need to provide proof that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 along with a piece of government-issued photo identification. This does not apply to patients. Exemptions are limited to certain exceptional and compassionate circumstances. Please scroll down for frequently asked questions.
“Fully vaccinated” is defined as having two doses of a Health Canada-approved COVID-19 vaccine with the last dose at least 14 days ago.
Proof of being fully vaccinated can be provided using a paper or electronic receipt. If you were vaccinated in Ontario, you can download your proof of vaccination.
When coming to the hospital, all visitors and essential care partners:
How to access the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Full Restrictions: 1 identified essential care partner/visitor. Moderate Restrictions: up to 2 identified essential care partners/visitors (for most departments). Low Restrictions: up to 3 identified essential care partners/visitors (for most departments).
The Ontario government requires hospitals to actively screen visitors who come to the hospital. The screeners will ask you about:
This screening is designed to help us ensure that visitors and Essential Care Partners coming into the hospital are not ill and/or not at risk of COVID-19 exposure from travel or close contact.
We strongly encourage all eligible people to get the COVID-19 vaccine, as it protects from serious illness, hospitalization and death. In preventing increases in hospitalizations, getting vaccinated protects our health-care system and ensures that health-care workers can continue to provide care for all those who need it.
The following types of inpatients can welcome a scheduled visit from an essential visitor or care partner while the hospital is in visitor restrictions.
Medical, Surgical, ALC, Rehab, Mental Health, and Gynecology Patients:
Critical Care Patients:
Yes. While in visitor restrictions, visitation appointments with inpatients must be booked in advance. To book a visitation appointment, please call 613-938-4240 ext. 4778 between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm.
During full visitor restrictions, only essential visitors or care partners who meet the criteria for exceptional circumstances are allowed to accompany for the following types of patients:
In and out privileges are not permitted and will only be considered under exceptional circumstances with prior authorization by the manager or delegate.
If not fully vaccinated:
Pediatric patients (0-17 years old) can have an essential visitor/care partner stay 24/7.
Please plan accordingly for your stay by bringing non-perishable snacks and nicotine replacements if you smoke. Meals will be provided.
Although visitor restrictions are in effect and essential visitors and care partners must show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19, CCH recognizes that there may be circumstances in which additional family or care giver presence may be required for compassionate or exceptional reasons. This includes:
There are limited exceptions to the requirement for vaccination for urgent or essential reasons. Currently these include:
Please speak with the care team to determine if you meet the criteria for an exception.
Using your own device:
With visiting restrictions in effect, we encourage families to reach out to their loved ones who are staying at the hospital, by using their own device for a virtual visit.
Using a CCH device:
What you need for a Virtual Family Visit:
A request to set up a virtual visit can be made by calling 613-938-4240 ext: 4740 and is available between the hours of 8:00 pm and 4:00 pm, 7 days a week. Information like the patient’s room number/name and time of the desired visit are helpful details to include when communicating.
Yes. patients who are coming to the hospital for appointments, essential care partners and visitors will be given a disposable medical mask when they enter the hospital. Masks must be worn at all times while in the hospital. Masks help prevent the spread of respiratory illness, including COVID-19, when important measures such as physical distancing are not possible.
Public health guidelines also currently recommend wearing safety glasses during visitation. Please note that essential care partners/visitors are still entitled to visitation even if they do not have safety glasses. CCH does not provide safety glasses, however to comply with this best practice recommended by public health, care partners/visitors are encouraged to bring their own safety glasses from home.
These are individuals who have been identified by the patient as support persons. If the patient is not capable of designating their essential care partners/visitors their Substitute Decision Maker (as defined by the Province of Ontario) can make the designation.
One (1) essential visitor is permitted under exceptional circumstances only.