Johns Hopkins uses four color-coded visitation risk levels to determine how we can safely invite care partners to join patients during outpatient office visits and inpatient stays. These guidelines help protect our patients, their care partners and our staff members by limiting spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The visitation risk levels are based on the number of COVID-19 cases in the community according to state and county public health information, as well as conditions in our health care environments.

Risk levels are assessed and adjusted regularly.

A care partner may be a relative, partner, friend or anyone the patient chooses to have at their side during care. For inpatient visits, care partners must be 18 or older, except for those under 18 who are parents of patients. Guidelines may vary slightly depending on care needs and location. The number of care partners welcomed will depend on the area of the hospital and patient circumstances.

Do not come to a Johns Hopkins Medicine facility to visit a patient under any circumstances if you:

• Feel sick
• Have symptoms of COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms
• Tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 within the last three weeks.
• Have been advised to get a COVID-19 test but have not yet obtained one
• Are waiting for the results of a COVID-19 test
• Have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 within the last two weeks.
• Have been asked to be on home quarantine or isolation.

Review our updated masking guidelines before your visit. The following face coverings are not approved: bandanas, gaiters, masks with exhalation valves or clear shield-like face masks. A mask will be provided for you if you need one.

For more information about face masks see the How to Properly Wear a Face Mask: Infographic and the Coronavirus Face Masks & Protection FAQs

If you become symptomatic or test positive for COVID-19 within 3 days of visiting a patient in the hospital, notify the patient’s provider, nurse, or the charge nurse on the patient’s hospital unit.

Care partners who can visit adult patients according to the guidelines must arrive at the hospital front entrance between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. and must exit the hospital no later than 9 p.m.

Care partners/parents/guardians for patients in the pediatric emergency room and for pediatric inpatients may arrive 24/7.

Review our updated masking guidelines before your visit. Care partners must remain in the patient’s room except:

• to use the restroom
• to get something to eat or drink outside of the patient’s room
• when directed by the care team to exit the room
• to leave for the day

Under the Green risk level, care partners are allowed to eat and drink in adult patient rooms and the NICU.

Please review the risk level guidelines for care partner switches during the visit. To prevent overcrowding in waiting areas, care partner exchange – if the visitation level permits – must occur outside the hospital or in lobby areas.

Overnight stays for one care partner are permitted for adult patients during green, yellow, red and for approved exceptions in purple risk level if the care partner is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or has tested negative for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 within 72 hours of the visit. People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the second shot of a two-dose vaccine or two weeks after a one-dose vaccine.

Care partners who plan to stay overnight should carry documentation of vaccination or test results with them and be prepared to show the documentation if asked.

Intensive care units may have restrictions on overnight visits based on space limits. Please check with your care team.