Now’s the time for young children to visit family and friends at UNC hospitals
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- UNC Health lifts age-based visitor ban; children under 11 may visit again.
- Hospital says influenza, RSV and COVID-19 admissions have come down significantly.
- Officials will monitor disease trends and urge vaccination and hygiene.
Thanks to declining rates of infectious diseases, UNC Health will lift age-based visitor restrictions that have been in place since Jan. 5. Starting Monday morning, visitors under age 11 will once again be allowed to visit patients at UNC hospitals in Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, Raleigh, and Holly Springs.
Last year’s flu season was the deadliest since North Carolina began recording statewide flu deaths in 2009. This year, though, UNC infectious disease experts are calling flu season “moderately bad.”
“The variant that was out there was fairly transmissible, so it spread quite a bit,” said Alan Wolf, spokesperson for UNC Health.
After that spike in admissions of patients with influenza, RSV and COVID-19 earlier this winter, the number of cases has come down significantly. That makes it safer for young visitors to come back to the hospital. But only if those kids are feeling 100% healthy.
This flu season — which started in the last days of September 2025 — 263 North Carolinians have died from the flu, according to NC’s Department of Health and Human Services. That includes seven pediatric deaths, 15 in the 25-49 age group, 37 in the 50-64 age range, and 204 in the 65+ group.
Now, with rates of illness falling, UNC Health welcomes children under 11 back into hospitals to visit with sick family and friends.
“UNC leaders recognize the strain that such restrictions can place on our patients and their loved ones. We strive to balance the need for seasonal visitor restrictions with the importance of allowing family and loved ones to visit patients — a critical part of the healing process,” reads a statement from UNC Health.
“UNC Health infectious diseases experts will continue to monitor local, regional and statewide data and adjust precautions based on the latest trends. In addition, we urge everyone to use common sense public health measures, including getting vaccinated against the flu, hand hygiene, staying home if you’re sick, and more.”
The restrictions will officially be lifted at 7 a.m. Monday.
This story was originally published February 15, 2026 at 2:30 PM with the headline "Now’s the time for young children to visit family and friends at UNC hospitals."
