Starting this week, visitors to Windsor Regional Hospital and Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare will need to be fully vaccinated.
Erie Shores Healthcare will insist on it starting next Tuesday.
"Unfortunately, with the rising COVID-19 case counts locally, the highest in the province, it became clear the recently released vaccination and testing policy for our staff and physicians wasn't enough," explained Erie Shores Healthcare CEO Kristin Kennedy.
Those who just got their second shot less than two weeks before their visit will need to provide a negative test result taken within three days.
The new rules also include designated care providers.
For parents who have not been fully vaccinated and are bringing a child to the emergency department, attending to a labouring mother, or visiting a patient with a life-altering injury or near death, the hospitals "will endeavour to accommodate the visitor through another process consistent with visitor policy."
"Erie Shores needs to take every precaution to keep our patients, staff, and community safe," continued Kennedy. "While we understand this will be an inconvenience for some, it takes each of us doing our part to combat this virus."
Those who need proof of their vaccination status can download a receipt from the Ontario Health webpage.
Visitors who need to arrange a COVID-19 test will need to go to a community swabbing centre like the one at Windsor Regional Hospital's Ouellette Campus.
Regardless of vaccination status, all visitors must wear a medical-grade face mask and face shield during their stay.
"In the past, without vaccinations, we had little choice but to stop visitation of patients when community COVID-19 numbers or positive COVID-19 inpatient numbers increased," said Windsor Regional Hospital CEO David Musyj. "With the massive increase in community spread of COVID-19, we have to go further than the minimum set in the province."
The COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Devonshire Mall is open to walk-ins. Appointments can also be booked online any day of the week between 8 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. Shots are also available at the various pop-up clinics throughout the community and some primary healthcare provider offices.
