Coronavirus (COVID19)

Visitor Policy

Updated March 15, 2022

With COVID-19 cases having decreased in our community, Emory Healthcare has moved to Tier 1 for visitation.

Please note the following:

• Inpatients may have two (2) Care Partners at most locations. Exception: Inpatients in the BMT Unit at Emory University Hospital are restricted to one (1) Care Partner at this time.
• Patients attending our outpatient oncology clinics, receiving infusion treatment or imaging procedures at any of the Winship locations are allowed one (1) visitor.
• No visitors under 12 years old are allowed.
• Upon approval from the clinical team, additional visitors may be allowed for patients receiving hospice or end-of-life care.

Any exceptions to the visitor policy will be at the discretion of the clinical care team.

All visitors must wear a mask covering their mouth and nose at all times (including patient rooms) regardless of vaccination status.

We ask that if you are feeling sick or have a fever or cough, please contact us for guidance before coming to your appointment. We advise all patients, whether under active treatment or not, with symptoms of coronavirus, or flu, to contact their provider. Please call your team at (404) 778-1900 if you develop symptoms, and we will direct you regarding next steps. Our clinical teams are ready to answer any questions or address any concerns.

Please be assured that we are thinking of your safety, health, and comfort at all times. Thank you for trusting us with your care.

Visit Emory Healthcare's website for the most current updates on the visitor policy.

Return to Clinic/COVID-19 Isolation Policy

The CDC's updated guidance stipulates that people who have tested positive for COVID-19 can resume work and community activities after 5 days while wearing a mask around others. At Winship, we serve many very vulnerable patients who may not clear the virus as quickly as the general population, so we are maintaining our policy that our most severely immune compromised patients (for example, those receiving transplant or cell therapies, active chemotherapy, or other immune suppressive treatments) can return after 20 days, and other patients may return in 10 - 14 days for elective appointments.

If you have questions about when you may return, or if you feel you need to be seen more urgently in clinic, you should contact your clinical team via the patient portal for guidance.

Vaccine Information

We encourage all of our patients, along with their caregivers and loved ones, to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Currently, the CDC recommends COVID-19 primary series vaccines for everyone ages 6 months and older, and COVID-19 boosters for everyone eligible ages 5 years and older. The CDC also recommends that those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised, which includes many of our patients, receive additional doses of the vaccine after their primary series. 

Visit the CDC website for more information and timing of additional doses for moderately to severely immunocompromised.

You should receive the same type of vaccine as you originally received. Visit https://www.vaccines.gov to find a location offering the vaccine near you.

It is also important to remember that some patients who are significantly immunocompromised may not have a good immune response to the COVID vaccine even with additional doses. Therefore, you should also continue to mask in indoor public places, to practice social distancing, to wash or sanitize your hands frequently, and to encourage your close contacts to get vaccinated.

At Winship, we are aligned with Emory Healthcare and Emory University in our commitment to providing the safest environment to care for our patients and to protect our staff, providers, and community.

Several policies underscore our institutional commitment to health and safety:

• Emory Healthcare requires all providers and employees to have received their COVID-19 vaccinations. Learn more
• Emory University requires all students, faculty, and staff to be immunized for COVID-19. Those with an approved exemption will be required to conduct a weekly screening test. Learn more

As we continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact in our community, we are aware that adjustments to the current policies and guidelines may be necessary.

General Information for our Patients

The health and safety of our patients are our top priorities. We want to reassure you that we are taking all the necessary precautions to screen for the coronavirus (COVID-19) and to prevent its potential spread. As we monitor the evolving COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, your Winship Cancer Institute (Winship) team is steadfastly committed to your safety and well being. We are working with experts throughout Emory to keep you safe.

Although most people who are infected by COVID-19 develop mild illness, certain patients with cancer may be at increased risk for more severe symptoms. Winship is committed to providing safe and necessary cancer care to our patients and will support any of our patients who may develop COVID-19 illness. Extra precautions to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission within our facilities include increased screening efforts in our outpatient clinics at each entrance, and extra cleaning of clinics and common areas. All patients and visitors must wear a mask at all times while visiting any of our locations; we will provide masks for those who do not have one.

We ask all patients to take steps to prevent transmission of COVID-19 and other viruses at all times. We recommend that all cancer patients and family members continue to practice rigorous hand washing, social distancing, and other precautions described in CDC guidelines.

We ask that if you are feeling sick or have a fever or cough, please contact us for guidance before coming for your appointment. We advise all patients, whether under active treatment or not, with symptoms of coronavirus, or flu, to contact their provider. Please call your team at (404) 778-1900 if you develop symptoms and we will direct you regarding next steps. Our clinical teams are ready to answer any questions or address any concerns.

The situation is ever changing, so we encourage you to check the daily COVID-19 updates on the Emory Healthcare and Emory University websites.

Detailed information on COVID-19 is available at The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Thank you for entrusting us with your care. If you have any questions, please speak with any member of your care team during your visit.

Emory Updates and Resources on COVID-19

Emory Healthcare and Emory University are providing regular updates and resources on the coronavirus (COVID-19).