Kootenai Health to restrict visitations

Kootenai Health plans to tighten visitor restrictions to help reduce patient and staff exposure to COVID-19, it announced Tuesday.

Starting Thursday, each non-COVID patient will be permitted one visitor per day. Visitors must be healthy and well, a press release said. Each visitor must wear a mask covering the nose and mouth while on the Kootenai Health campus. No visitors younger than 18 will be permitted, except in end-of-life situations.

"Visitor restrictions are going into effect as the hospital continues to see high numbers of COVID-19 patients," the release said.

On Tuesday Kootenai Health had 69 COVID-19 patients total, with 28 requiring critical care.

The Kootenai Health COVID Testing Center will also extend its hours.

Beginning Friday, testing center hours will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. An order from a health care provider to be tested is required.