PORTLAND — Maine Medical Center announced today it would ease some of the visitor restrictions put into place in December in response to the Omicron variant surge. This announcement does not affect the visitation policies at Pen Bay Medical Center or Waldo County General Hospital, although the two local hospitals anticipate changes in the coming weeks.

Beginning Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, adult inpatients will now be allowed one visitor per day for one visit between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

A number of visitation safety measures remain as part of the visitor policy including:

Pediatrics: One parent / guardian allowed per day as patient condition allows.

Obstetrics: One support person, plus a doula during labor and delivery, as patient condition allows. View additional visitation safety measures specific to The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital and the MMC Family Birth Center.

Emergency Department: One parent / guardian for pediatric patients, provided space is sufficient to achieve compliance with social distancing.

Ambulatory/Diagnostic areas: No visitors for adult patients are allowed in the waiting room at the Bramhall Campus, unless they travel more than 45 minutes to the hospital, or if there are special needs (determined on an individual basis). Pediatric patients may have one parent or guardian accompany them to the Ambulatory Surgical Unit, and that adult will be given protective eyewear upon arrival, and must wear the eyewear and a mask for the duration of the visit.

COVID units: No visitors except for compassionate care, to be managed by Care Team.

Patients Requiring Special Assistance: Patients in any care setting who need help — such as with mobility or communications with the care team about their medical history or care — may be assisted by an adult escort to provide the needed assistance or support. Such necessity will be determined by the care team.

Exceptions: Exceptions may be made for care plan discussions as arranged by the Care Team or for end of life care.

“Throughout the pandemic, Maine Medical Center has prioritized patient and care team safety while balancing the very important role visitors play in healing when making adjustments to our visitor policy,” said Maine Medical Center President Jeff Sanders, in a news release. “Now that the Omicron wave is showing signs of receding, we are happy to welcome visitors to our adult inpatient units once again.”

MMC is continuing to require masking in its facilities and encourage social distancing and hand hygiene whenever possible. While MMC does not require visitors to be vaccinated, the hospital strongly recommends everyone who is eligible receive COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots.