ERS to allow visitors who have been vaccinated

Visitors to Elderly Residential Services, the GHA and Ocean Views will need to show proof of vaccination, the Government confirmed as it announced the reopening of all ERS sites.
ERS, St Bernard’s Hospital and Ocean Views will reopen to visitors for the first time this year as from next Tuesday, March 16, following advice from Public Health Gibraltar.
The Government said ERS has been working towards a safe visiting procedure together with the GHA including the GHA’s
Director of Public Health with the aim to allow residents to receive visits from families and friends.
In order to safeguard and protect the vulnerable ERS residents, two named designated visitors will be allowed per resident and only one of the designated visitors will be permitted during the allocated visiting hour per day.
ERS visitors will be allowed by prior arranged appointment on Tuesdays and Saturdays, from 11am to 12 pm and from 6 pm to 7 pm. This is to facilitate cleaning and disinfecting of the premises between visits.
In line with Public Health recommendations, ERS visits will be allowed as long as there are no confirmed positive cases on the premises.
ERS, GHA and Ocean Views visitors need to be vaccinated with two doses of the Covid vaccine and must show GHA vaccination card as proof and will need a negative Covis-19 swab prior to their visit.
The Government said ERS visitors will be required to contact the Drive-Through, on 200 41818, and identify themselves as ERS visitor to book an appointment for swabbing.
The swab test will be carried out between 7.30am and 12.00 noon the day before the pre-booked visit and the Drive-Through will require consent for visitors’ negative swab results to be provided to ERS management for the sole purpose of safeguarding the residents during their visit.
ERS visitors must contact the respective residential sites, in advance, in order to book their visit.
"Vaccinating the vulnerable residents at ERS was our first priority and they now have the highest level of protection against the virus that is known to be possible," the Minister for Health and Care, Samantha Sacramento, said.
"I’m delighted that we are now in a position to be able to welcome back visitors to our Elderly Residential Services in a strictly controlled manner that safeguards our residents. This is thanks to the hard work of the dedicated ERS team, whose efforts to protect residents over extremely difficult months deserves our sincerest and deepest appreciation."
Further information can be obtained from ERS Nurse Management on 200 70473.
For visits to St Bernard’s Hospital and Ocean Views only one of the designated visitors will be permitted during the allocated visiting hour per day.
Wards will need to record the designated visitor’s name in line with Contact Tracing guidance.
The visitor and patient must remain at least two meters apart at all times.
Visitors who have returned from international travel to countries with a quarantine
period will not be allowed to visit until the isolation period has finished and the individual
has had a negative swab test for Covid-19.
Visitors will not be permitted to visit any other areas or patients within the hospital.
The Government said it may become necessary to introduce complete temporary visiting restrictions within departments/wards if this is deemed necessary by the GHA and reminded that visitirs should enter the hospital via the Main Entrance where their temperature will be taken.
Visitors must also sanitize their hands and wear a mask or change itif advised to do so and must follow public health advice at all times.
GHA and Ocean Views visitors must wear personal protective equipment (PPE) on wards, which will be provided at the entrance of all wards.

This post was updated at 7.25pm to include the visitation procedure for the GHA and Ocean Views.

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