Cone Health Lifts Visitor Restrictions

The move comes as the area turns the corner on the flu season.

Greensboro—Cone Health joins other regional health systems in changing its policy on hospital visitation. Children aged 12 and younger can again visit loved ones in hospitals without restrictions. Wearing a mask is no longer required but is optional to protect patients. (Some restrictions may still apply in select locations as outlined in our visitor policy at conehealth.com/visitors.) These changes go into effect tomorrow, Feb. 25, at 7 a.m.

The move comes as fewer people are coming down with the flu. Cone Health has fewer than a dozen people with the flu in its hospitals. That number was 150 the week of Christmas.

People visiting a health care facility are still asked to wear a mask if they are experiencing respiratory symptoms like coughing or sneezing. “Let’s not forget that the flu is still out there—even though at a much lower rate,” says Cone Health Infectious Disease Specialist, Dr. Cynthia Snider. “People in the hospital are very sick. For them, the flu can be devastating.”

People who have had the flu should wait about a week after the first symptoms to see their friends or family members. If they are also fever-free without taking medications and feeling better, they are no longer considered contagious.

Asking visitors and staff to wear masks and asking that children under 12 not visit were steps area hospitals took to reduce the risk of patients and visitors getting flu, COVID or RSV. The number of people in this area with those illnesses has gone down dramatically.

The lifting of restrictions on Feb. 25 is a coordinated effort with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Novant Health.