RESTRICTIONS have been “temporarily reintroduced” for people visiting patients at Colchester Hospital.

The East Suffolk and North Essex Trust, which runs the Turner Road site, said the move was a “precautionary safety measure”.

In an announcement it said: “It is part of our infection control plans and is also in response to the rising number of cases of Covid-19 in the community.”

No visitors will be able to visit the wards at Colchester Hospital, except for a number of situations.

This includes adult inpatient wards where one named person can book to visit a patient for 45 minutes a day who has been in hospital for more than 48 hours.

The trust is asking the visitor is the same, named person for the duration of a patient’s stay and they are ideally from their household or support bubble, where possible.

Two parents or carers of children on the paediatrics ward can visit but are asked not to come at the same time

A woman’s birthing partner will be able to visit her for 45 minutes each day she is in hospital. They do not have to wait 48 hours before they visit, but should be the same, named person for the duration of the woman’s stay.