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Visitation in the Case of COVID-19

Case Study

Mr. S. is a 65-year-old man who, aside from chronic asthma and mild hypertension, has been extremely healthy and active. He is now admitted to the ICU with respiratory failure from COVID-19 and is on a ventilator. His wife also is healthy, in her 60s, and owns a small business. The patient's wife suspects that she may have been an asymptomatic carrier of the virus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), though she had a negative nasal swab test 2 days ago. She has been quarantined alone for 14 days in an independent living community. She is willing to use all needed personal protective equipment (PPE) if she is allowed to visit her husband. She has not seen him since his hospitalization. The hospital has a "no visitor" policy that has been in effect since the start of the pandemic, but the patient's wife is hoping an exception can be made.