With Covid-19 cases dropping in the community, hospital bosses in South Tyneside and Sunderland have announced visiting restrictions will be relaxed further from next Tuesday (May 3).
This will see patients on the wards allowed two named visitors each day. Pregnant women are still allowed to be accompanied by one person to all antenatal appointments, and to have two birthing partners.
Anyone coming to A&E at the South Tyneside & Sunderland NHS Trust's facilities is also able to have someone with them now - while children can be accompanied by both parents.
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There will be no change to the visiting in place in exceptional circumstances - including when someone is receiving end-of-life care or has a condition like dementia and requires a carer - as this has operated at the discretion of the nurse in charge of any given ward for some time.
However, NHS bosses have emphasised that the wearing of PPE is still required. Visitors will need to wear a mask, regularly wash their hands, and follow social distancing rules.
Visiting was first reinstated in South Tyneside and Sunderland in early March, while other NHS bodies in our region have previously made similar changes. In Newcastle's hospitals, patients have been allowed two visitors earlier in April.
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