Changes to internal rules at East Tallinn Central Hospital in light of COVID-19

The internal rules of East Tallinn Central Hospital changed as of 18 May 2022. Patients and employees alike must follow these rules. Let us take care of our own health as well as that of fellow patients and the medical staff.

Wearing protective masks is compulsory during appointments, examinations and procedures in close contact with hospital staff.

• Hospital staff members all wear a protective mask when in close contact with their patient. Any patients in the hospital in close contact with the hospital staff are also required to wear a protective mask.
• Patients arriving for an outpatient appointment or examinations must wear a protective mask when inside the appointment or examination room. Protective masks are distributed by employees in the examination or appointment rooms. Protective masks and hand antiseptics can also be found at all entrances to the hospital.
• Inpatients referred for examinations must wear a protective mask in the examination room.
• Any patients going to the Centre of Emergency Medicine must wear a mask.

Accompanying loved ones at hospital

• Children up to the age of 14 and patients with special physical needs are permitted to be accompanied by one person (with the exception of in-patient and day care). Persons accompanying the patient are required to follow the requirements applicable in the hospital.

Staying at the hospital while displaying signs of disease is not permitted, except for emergency patients and patients referred by their general practitioner.

• People displaying symptoms characteristic of acute viral infection (coughing, rhinitis, fever) are not allowed to enter the hospital premises, unless they are a patient of the Centre of Emergency Medicine or have been referred to hospital by their general practitioner for analyses and examinations.

The hospital has implemented a ban on visits but bringing parcels to patients who spend more than two days in the hospital is allowed.

• There is a ban on visiting hospitalised patients. Patients can only be visited in exceptional cases with special authorisation from a doctor.
• Patients can receive parcels if they spend more than two days at the hospital. Such parcels may be left with cloakroom staff in the relevant unit of the hospital.

While in the hospital, you may only move around in your department or go for examinations

• Hospitalised patients may move around only within their relevant department or with an accompanying person to go for examinations and procedures.

Internal rules at the Women’s Clinic

• Employees at the Women’s Clinic wear a surgical mask (or a respirator, if needed) when in close contact with patients.
• All patients are required to wear a surgical mask when in close contact with hospital staff.
• Patients hospitalised for emergency care will be tested for SARS-CoV-2 with a PCR test. Patients who have contracted and recovered from COVID-19 within the last three months will not be tested.
• Women admitted to give birth (including patients undergoing a scheduled caesarean section and induction of labour) and pregnant women will be tested for SARS-CoV-2 in the hospital using a rapid PCR test.
• Women admitted to give birth and refusing to wear a mask or take the test will be considered as a potentially infectious patient and in this case their support person will not be able to stay with them during childbirth.
• One healthy household member may attend the childbirth. Family members who come to the hospital as a support person to attend childbirth will be tested with a free rapid antigen test. Support persons who have contracted and recovered from COVID within the last three months will not be tested. A negative test result means that the support person will be allowed in the delivery room.
• A birth assistant is permitted to act as the support person instead of a family member, provided that they are healthy and have taken a paid SARS-CoV-2 PCR test, the result of which is negative.

Support persons and birth assistants must wear a surgical mask when in close contact with medical staff. They are not allowed to leave the hospital in the mean time.