(1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that:
The COVID-19 pandemic has produced challenges to the health care systems in Colorado;
Hospitals have made many efforts to keep patients and employees in a safe environment and have endeavored to minimize, to the extent possible, the risk of spreading COVID-19;
As a result of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, hospitals have institutedpolicies that limit patients' ability to be physically present with their loved ones during their hospitalization and treatment;
Many patients not diagnosed with COVID-19 have therefore been alone during theirtreatment for serious conditions, traumas, illnesses, heart attacks, and routine and emergency surgeries; some have been forced to be alone for the entire course of their treatment, and, in some cases, patients have died alone; and
In order to balance the need to reduce virus transmission with the benefits of havingfamily members present during illness, especially at the end of life, as knowledge of COVID-19 advances, hospitals are encouraged to follow infection prevention protocols and identify ways to improve visitation policies while still following best practices.
As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, "COVID-19" meansthe respiratory illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARSCoV-2.
This section is repealed, effective September 30, 2021.
Source: L. 2020: Entire section added, (HB 20-1425), ch. 179, p. 816, § 1, effective June 29.