Recent INOVA Fairfax Experience (COVID policies)

[Anonymous]

Delivered last week at INOVA Fairfax, and besides the mask wearing and no visitors, experience was almost identical to 2018 delivery. Things of note:

- Took COVID test in L&D triage, and would not be admitted until my results came back. For inductions or C sections, you go in 72 hours in advance. Results took less than 30 minutes, but when you’re already in active labor and ready for the epidural, it can feel like a lifetime.
- Mask wearing is only mildly enforced for patients after test results. We put ours on whenever someone was present. My husband made the mistake of sleeping with his mask on and almost passed out while I was delivering. I was able to wear the mask throughout labor with little difficulty, but I only had to push for 15 minutes, so it wasn’t terrible.
- Nursery was open
- Meals for support person were NOT included, even though it was implied in some materials. We were able to mostly split our meals, and eat Panera.
- Support person isn’t supposed to leave and come back, but I’m not exactly sure how they would enforce that. The main entrance they just did temp checks, and then they did a temp check again at the entrance to recovery. The only way they’d enforce the “no leaving” policy is if Recovery kept track of how long you were gone.
- For a normal, vaginal delivery, we were in the door and out in just under 36 hours, but there was absolutely no pressure for us to leave early.