Last Updated: September 16, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Masking Restrictions
Throughout the upcoming months, we may have to continue to implement masking as a strategy to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, RSV, and the flu virus for limited portions of time within our facilities.
For the safety of our high-risk and/or immunocompromised patients, masking remains mandatory for the following individuals/facilities:
- Where patients are being treated for cancer, or have other immunocompromising conditions.
- For anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 or has a known exposure to COVID-19 (must be worn for 5 days).
- Anyone showing signs of respiratory illness (coughing, sneezing, fever, runny nose, etc.)
Visitor Hours
- Rochester General Hospital: 9 am – 8 pm (Guests need to check in)
Overnight visitation permitted only in participating units for patients in critical condition and limited to one designated visitor per night. View Overnight Visitation Guidelines - Unity Hospital: 9 am – 8 pm (Guests need to check in)
- Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic: 8 am – 8 pm
- Newark-Wayne Community Hospital: 8 am – 8 pm
- United Memorial Medical Center: 9 am – 8 pm
- Canton-Potsdam Hospital*: 9 am – 8 pm
- Gouverneur Hospital*: 9 am – 8 pm
- Massena Hospital*: 9 am – 8 pm
* Allows a patient’s identified Care partner to visit 24/7 as part of the Care Partner program
- Visitation Hours: 24 hours a day
- Patients ages 18 and under: 2 visitors per patient
- Patients ages 19 and older: 1 visitor per patient
- Due to capacity constraints, visitor restrictions may be put into place at any time.
Visitor Restrictions
Due to the prevalence of flu in New York State, visitors to acute care facilities must be 14 years or older. Specific units may have different restrictions. See below for additional restrictions.
- Two (2) visitors are allowed throughout the patient's stay. Only one (1) visitor is allowed at a time at the bedside.
- One visitor will be able to accompany the patient during registration and in the pre-anesthesia and recovery areas. The second visitor will be asked to wait in their car during the surgical procedure. The Ambulatory Surgery Center staff will call the visitor when it’s appropriate to visit the patient in recovery.
- Masks are not required to be worn but are recommended.
Two (2) visitors are allowed during on-site hours. Families can call ahead before visiting.
- There is no restriction on the number of visitors as long as social distancing is maintained. All minors visiting must be accompanied by an adult.
- End-of-life determinations are made in coordination with the patient, family/legal guardian, and treatment team. Visitation for end-of-life situations is not restricted by COVID-19 status or hours. All infection control guidelines and instructions must be followed.
- Triage: Prior to admission, in labor and delivery triage, one (1) visitor/support person, plus a certified doula, are allowed.
- Labor/delivery/recovery: Four (4) support people can be present during labor, delivery and recovery.
- Due to space limitations at RGH and CPH patients will be allowed at least two (2) support people at any given time at those locations and as space and clinical situation allows up to four (4) people. This may necessitate changing support people out as space and clinical needs warrant.
- Cesarean deliveries: one (1) visitor/support person, plus a certified doula, are allowed.
- Postpartum: four (4) visitors at a time are allowed during normal visiting hours. No age restrictions.
- After visiting hours, two (2) designated support persons and one (1) doula may stay around the clock after delivery.
NICU at Rochester General Hospital
- Visitation Hours: 24 hours a day for parents
- All visitors, with the exception of parents and patient siblings, must be at least 18 years old.
- Four (4) support people per family in the unit and at the bedside at a time. These four (4) support people remain the same during the entire hospitalization.
- Siblings of NICU patient, over the age of 8 years old, are welcome to visit from 9am-7pm.
- Two (2) additional visitors/day are are allowed to visit from 9am-7pm (in addition to the four (4) identified support people).
- Restrictions will be in place for individuals who test positive for COVID-19 or have close exposure to someone with COVID-19 – regardless of whether they are symptomatic or asymptomatic
- Birth parents who test positive for COVID-19 and are asymptomatic will be kept out of the NICU for five (5) days from the date of the positive test. On day 6, they can enter the NICU as long as they remain asymptomatic and are wearing a mask.
- Birth parents and family caregivers who test positive for COVID-19 and are symptomatic will be allowed to enter the NICU once all three (3) of the following criteria are met:
- Fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication
- At least 5 days since symptoms first appeared
- Symptoms have improved
- Birth parents and family caregivers who have close exposure to someone with COVID-19 but are asymptomatic will be allowed to visit the NICU as long as they remain asymptomatic. Visitors must wear masks while in the NICU. If any individual develops COVID-19 symptoms, they must be tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible and remain out of the NICU until a negative test is confirmed and symptoms improve.
Specialty Units at Rochester General Hospital
- Visitors to 2000 PEDS must be at least 12 years old
- Visitors to the following units must be at least 14 years old
- SICU
- SSDU
- CICU
- CTICU
- MICU
- MSDU
Specialty Units at Unity Hospital
- Visitors to the following units must be at least 14 years old
- ICU
- 2400/INCU
St. Lawrence Birthing Centers
- Allows two support persons (same two from start to discharge, must be 18+) allowed to stay with mom. Allow four visitors per day with only two visiting at a time.
- Visiting is from 9:00am - 8:00pm.
St. Lawrence Health ICU
- Visitation Hours: 9 am – 1 pm and 4 pm – 8 pm
- Care partners will be allowed to stay 24 hours a day. No visitors under the age of 12 are allowed, with exceptions for end of life patients
Patients with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, and cognitive impairments including dementia are allowed the following visitors:
- One (1) support person may be present onsite at a time in the emergency room or during hospitalization
- One (1) additional visitor may also be with the patient for up to four (4) hours during normal visiting hours once the patient is admitted to a room.