COVID-19 Information

COVID-19 Information

Elliot Health System is committed to providing the safest possible environment for our patients, visitors and staff. This guide answers common questions about prevention of COVID-19 and care for individuals who may be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

COVID-19 Visitor Policy:

Updated March 20, 2023

Elliot Health System is committed to ensuring the health and safety of patients, staff and visitors.

Mask Policy for Elliot Hospital and Ambulatory Practices
Masks are not required for visitors, non-infectious patients and vaccinated staff. If an individual is experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness, they need to wear a mask. Masks will continue to be provided for anyone who needs or wants to wear one.

Visitor Policy for Elliot Hospital
Up to two visitors per patient may visit at a time.
No visitation is permitted for COVID positive, rule-out, or quarantine patients.

Visitor Policy for Ambulatory Practices
Up to two support persons per patient.
We recognize this is a difficult time, and we appreciate your cooperation.

Important Information

Elliot Health System has remained committed to caring for our community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes sharing important information about vaccines, boosters, testing, our visitor policy, and other safety measures you can take to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

As a member of our community, you can help by taking precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. Safety measures include:

If you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, take an at-home COVID-19 test or visit Urgent Care.

  • If you have mild symptoms, such as a temperature under 100 degrees (102.4 for children ages 3 months and older), aches and pains, or mild cough, stay home and isolate.
  • If you have moderate symptoms, such as a high fever, significant coughing, or shortness of breath, call your primary care provider or visit Elliot Urgent Care for an appointment.
  • If you have severe symptoms, like severe trouble breathing, persistent chest pain or pressure, new confusion or dizziness, or pale-, gray-, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, go to the Emergency Department or call 9-1-1.

Anyone in the state of New Hampshire can be tested for COVID-19, even people without symptoms.

  • At-home COVID-19 tests can be found at pharmacies and other retailers.
  • Symptomatic patients can be tested by contacting their primary care physician’s office or scheduling an appointment at Elliot Urgent Care.
  • Asymptomatic individuals needing testing for themselves (travel) or their children (exposure, return to school, etc.) can obtain testing at any one of our Elliot Urgent Care locations or any other available community resource such as community pharmacy locations.

COVID-19 home test kits are diagnostic tests, approved by the FDA with Emergency Use Authorization, that individuals can purchase over the counter and administer themselves to test for the COVID-19 antigen. Sometimes referred to as “self-test” or “at-home test,” it is important to read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions before using any COVID-19 home test kit. They are available at many drug stores, including Elliot Pharmacy.

What to do if you test positive

All positive results should be reported to the State of New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (NH DHHS). You can report your results using the following link: safercovid.org/mytest.

  • Be sure to make note of when you tested positive and share that with your primary care provider at your next visit so that your record can be updated.
  • You do not need a confirmatory test for a positive result.
  • Contact your primary care provider if your symptoms are worsening, you feel you need to be seen or if you don’t believe your test results are accurate.
  • If you have tested positive, regardless of your vaccination status, to avoid spreading the virus to others, follow the Quarantine and Isolation guidelines from the CDC.
  • If you feel like your symptoms are life-threatening, please call 911.

Detailed information about home testing, as well as when you should test, self-isolation guidance, and symptom monitoring are available in these Frequently Asked Questions.

The CDC recommends COVID-19 primary series vaccines for everyone ages 6 months and older, and COVID-19 boosters for everyone ages 5 years and older.

The CDC also recommends additional doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for individuals ages 5 and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.

All qualifying New Hampshire residents can schedule a vaccination appointment by clicking this link: Find COVID-19 Vaccines.

Patients ages 6 months and up with an Elliot Health System primary care provider can call their doctor’s office for an appointment to receive the vaccine.

Elliot Pharmacy at River’s Edge, offers the BioNTech-Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines to patients age 12 and older who are seeking primary vaccination or boosters. COVID vaccines are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Eliot Pharmacy at River’s Edge. Appointments are strongly encouraged. Please call Elliot Pharmacy at River’s Edge directly at 603-663-5678 to schedule an appointment.

Parents, guardians, and caregivers of patients under 12 should contact their pediatric provider's office for instructions. For other clinical questions regarding COVID vaccines, don't hesitate to contact the pharmacy at 603-663-5678 and speak with a pharmacist.

Elliot Health System is committed to providing the safest possible environment for our patients, visitors and staff.

If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 14 days or are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, please notify your provider’s office before coming to one of our facilities. Visitors should refrain from visiting if they are COVID positive or experiencing symptoms. Symptoms of COVID include new or worsening fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose/nasal congestion, shortness of breath, muscle aches, new loss of smell or taste, nausea or vomiting or diarrhea.

Hand Hygiene: Our staff continue practicing good hand hygiene, and we ask our patients and visitors to do the same.

Social Distancing: We ask everyone to practice good physical distancing between yourself and others.

Telehealth & Virtual Care: Visit our Provider Access page for the most up-to-date details.

Cleaning: We continue to enhance our cleaning and disinfecting protocols, with additional safeguards to protect against the virus.

  • Waiting rooms and high-touch surfaces are sanitized throughout the day.
  • Inpatient rooms, emergency rooms, exam rooms, and ORs are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between patients, using CDC-approved methods, including the use of UV light robots.

We are here for you!
If you have questions or concerns before your appointment, please contact your provider. They will provide you with all the information needed to properly prepare for and feel comfortable with the appointment process.

Out of an abundance of caution for our patients and staff, our visitation policies have been temporarily modified to limit potential COVID-19 exposure. This policy is subject to change based on infection trends. Click here to read the most up-to-date visitor policy.

For the latest information on COVID-19 in New Hampshire, visit the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services website.

For the latest information on COVID-19 in Massachusetts, visit the Massachusetts Department of Health website.

Additional information about COVID-19 is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.