Ascension Providence Hospital in Mobile tightened its visitor policies in late July 2021, citing a rising number of COVID-19 cases both within the hospital and in the surrounding community.
Under the rules announced in July, inpatient rooms were limited to a maximum of two visitors per day, with visiting hours set between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Patients in the emergency department were restricted to one designated visitor.
The hospital tightened the rules again in an announcement on Monday, August 2, 2021. Effective Tuesday, August 3, only one visitor per patient was allowed, and only between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Visitors had to be 18 or older, and no one was permitted to remain overnight — with a single exception for Labor and Delivery patients.
The successive cutbacks came during a period when the Delta variant was driving a sharp increase in infections across Alabama and the broader Gulf Coast region. Mobile-area hospitals saw a significant uptick in admissions, prompting health officials to reevaluate safety measures.
Ascension Providence, which operates as part of the Ascension health system, had previously relaxed some visitor guidelines as vaccination rates climbed earlier in the spring. The summer reversals reflected the changing trajectory of the virus statewide.
Hospital officials encouraged families to contact the facility before visiting for the most current guidelines and any exceptions that might apply to specific patient situations.