UW Medicine believes families and support networks are very important for healing. Sometimes, visiting may be limited to keep patients, staff, and everyone safe. Please review the guidelines below.
General Guidelines
- Most patients may have up to two visitors at a time, depending on each hospital’s rules and visiting hours.
- All visitors must follow masking and infection-prevention rules. Masking is strongly encouraged.
- Visitors should not have new symptoms like cough, sore throat, or runny nose in the past 10 days.
- Harborview visiting hour are 6a.m to 10p.m, which differs from Montlake and Northwest.
Health & Safety Requirements
To help keep patients, staff, and visitors safe, please follow the guidance below.
If you have new respiratory symptoms
Do not visit if you have new symptoms like:
- Cough
- Runny nose or congestion
- Sore throat
- Fever or chills
- Shortness of breath
- Body aches or feeling very tired
Even common viruses, like a cold or the flu, can make patients with weak immune systems very sick. These rules help stop viruses from spreading.
Who has a weak immune system?
A person may have a weakened immune system (also called immunocompromised) if they have a condition or treatment that makes it harder for their body to fight infections. This may include:
- Cancer treatment, like chemotherapy
- Autoimmune diseases, like lupus or multiple sclerosis
- Type 1 diabetes
- HIV, which weakens the immune system
Some people with chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, may also be at increased risk for serious illness from infections, which can be spread through respiratory symptoms like coughing and sneezing.
Additionally, some infections, like measles, can cause long-lasting damage to the immune system and make it harder to fight other illnesses.
Some medicines you may take can also weaken your immune system. People taking these medicines may get very sick from common infections. These include:
- Chemotherapy and radiation therapy
- Steroids (like long-term or high-dose prednisone)
- Medicines used after organ transplant to prevent rejection
- Certain drugs for autoimmune or inflammatory conditions
Because many hospital patients have weak immune systems, even common respiratory viruses can be very dangerous.
Temporary weak immune system
Some people may have a temporarily weak immune system, even if they usually do not. This can include people who are:
- Recovering from surgery, injury, or major trauma
- Recently hospitalized or seriously ill
- Experiencing a lot of physical stress
As a trauma hospital, UW Medicine cares for many patients whose immune systems are temporarily weaker as their bodies focus on healing. The Violence Intervention and Prevention program participants have experienced a trauma that might require them to receive surgery, might have them on medications that have them experiencing a temporarily weak immune system or other treatments. Each patient’s healing journey is different, and following visitation rules helps support their recovery.
Helping reduce Emergency Department crowding
If you have mild to moderate symptoms, staying home helps prevent crowded emergency rooms. This keeps staff, space, and resources available for patients with life-threatening injuries and illnesses.
Thinking carefully about when to visit helps make sure patients get care when they need it. Even if you feel okay, you could still spread viruses through coughing, sneezing, or breathing near others. Being mindful of symptoms and making responsible decisions helps keep patients, staff, and everyone safe.
If you have tested positive for COVID-19
You may visit only if all of the following are true:
- At least 10 days have passed since your symptoms began
- You have been fever-free for 24 hours without using fever medicine
- Your symptoms are getting better
If you were recently exposed to respiratory viruses (including COVID-19)
- You may visit only if you have no symptoms
- Masking at all times is strongly encouraged
Why masking still matters (even if you feel fine)
People can spread respiratory viruses before symptoms appear or when symptoms are mild. Wearing a mask helps stop viruses from spreading and protects patients who may get very sick.
Some viruses can stay in the air or on surfaces for a while, especially indoors. This is why masking, hand washing, and checking for symptoms are important in hospitals.
Masking is a simple way to add an extra layer of protection for everyone.
Quick reminder before you go
Please pay the patient and visitor parking rate. Ask about our patient & visitor parking coupon when you check in! If you come in the back door near the parking garage, you can speak to security and/or the help desk about receiving the coupon.
We appreciate your understanding as we continue to provide the safest possible environment for our patients, visitors and staff!
Updated: 1/22/26