On May 2, 2020 the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued new guidance on hospital visitations that allows for a support person to be present with a person with disabilities – including developmental – who is diagnosed with COVID-19. The new guidance issued by the California Department of Public Health states in part:
“The presence of a support person is essential to patients with physical, intellectual, and/or developmental disabilities and patients with cognitive impairments. CDPH [California Department of Public Health] recommends that one support person be allowed to be present with the patient when medically necessary.
For hospitalized patients, especially with prolonged hospitalization, the patient or family/patient representative may designate two support people, but only one support person may be present at a time.
All support persons must stay in the room and be asymptomatic for COVID-19 and not be a suspected or recently confirmed case. Support persons may be screened prior to entering the clinical areas. Support persons must comply with any health facility instructions on personal protective equipment.”
For more information on this and COVID-19 related information, you can visit the CDPH website.