Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria is updating parts of its visitor policy after consulting with the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department.

All visitors must still be over 16 years old. There should only be one visitor at a time, and the visitor should come between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., but exceptions can be made as needed. People can come into the hospital through the main hospital entrance, the emergency department and the outpatient hospital entrance, which is a change – previously, people were asked to only come through the outpatient entrance or the emergency department.

Marian changed other policies months ago to limit the spread of COVID-19. Only one labor and delivery care partner is allowed to be with an expecting parent. For people who want to grab a bite to eat while they are visiting, the hospital’s café is serving pre-packaged items.

All community workshops, bariatric seminars, support groups, prenatal classes, birthing tours and other classes are still being offered electronically until further notice. Additionally, the hospital is offering patients electronic communication options, including video, to interact with people while they’re being cared for.