Iowa City Hospital Visitor Restrictions

At the end of last week, we learned that St. Luke's and Mercy hospitals in Cedar Rapids would be putting limitations on patient visitors due to flu and coronavirus fears.

With the information now released that Iowa has its first multiple confirmed COVID-19 cases, Iowa City hospitals are updating their visitor guidelines as well.

Starting immediately at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City, according to KWWL:

• Visitors will be limited to two healthy adults, aged 18 and older, per patient at any one time. Exceptions will be made for patients in critical care units and certain cases of maternal/child needs.
• If you have recently experienced flu-like symptoms, Mercy IC urges you to use their on-call service by dialing 319-358-2767. Or contact your doctor or an urgent care provider to inform them about symptoms and recent travel.

At the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, no one with any symptoms of illness, serious or minor, will be permitted as a visitor at this time. Other guidelines there are as follows:

• Visitors are limited to two adults (age 18 and older) per patient at any one time in most circumstances.
• Those visitors under the age of 18 may visit only if they are an immediate family member and are considered by the patient’s health care team to be essential for the patient’s well-being.
• All visitors must be healthy.