VISITING restrictions are set to change again as Covid numbers in mid Essex hospitals continue to fall.

Restrictions to hospital visits are being relaxed across Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust from today (February 17).

The new relaxations will affect Braintree Community Hospital and St Peter’s Hospital in Maldon, amongst other South Essex locations.

Patients will be able to see one visitor for an hour each day, as Covid-19 numbers in hospitals continue to fall.

To keep people as safe as possible, it will have to be the same visitor each day, with that person needing to book with the ward ahead of their visit.

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Visitors are also being asked to take a lateral flow test before coming to the hospital.

Everyone in hospital has been reminded that they need to wear a mask, and anyone wearing their own fabric face covering should change it for a clean and fresh surgical face mask when they arrive.

Mask dispensers are available at all hospital main entrances, and there are also stocks of surgical masks in wards and departments.

This update to patient visiting does not affect visiting arrangements for end of life care, maternity and paediatric patients. Arrangements for these areas are unchanged.

The full rules and safety precautions for visitors on the NHS website at bit.ly/3Bqt4YK.