SARASOTA, Fla. — Doctors Hospital of Sarasota has temporarily modified its visitor policy as Florida continues to see all-time high numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
The hospital will now allow one adult visitor per day for each person under their care, excluding those who are COVID-19 positive and anyone under investigation for COVID-19.
Visitors under the age of 18 will not be allowed in the hospital unless they are a parent of a hospitalized child.
Visitor hours run from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The changes are effective immediately and have been put in place "in order to protect our patients, visitors, physicians and caregivers from the spread of the coronavirus," the Doctors Hospital website reads.
Visitors are still required to wear masks at all times when in the building, must be free of COVID-19 symptoms, and must confirm that they have not come into contact with anyone who has contracted the virus.
Doctors Hospital isn't the only Tampa Bay area hospital making changes to its visitation policy.
Sarasota Memorial Hospital is not allowing any visitors except in special situations like end-of-life care. Manatee Memorial Hospital has also tightened its policy to allow one visitor per person hospitalized per day.
The changes come as the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 in Florida has risen to an all-time high of 11,515.
Doctors Hospital of Sarasota is a 155-bed acute and general care community hospital serving Sarasota and Manatee counties, according to its website.
You can read more about the policy changes on the Doctors Hospital website.
