2 Sarasota Hospitals Stop Allowing Visitors During COVID-19 Surge

SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — As COVID-19 cases surge throughout Sarasota County and the state, some hospitals in the region are no longer allowing visitors.

The Doctors Hospital of Sarasota said visitors aren’t permitted for most inpatients. Exceptions will only be made in end-of-life situations and in behavioral health units, according to a news release from the hospital.

Emergency Room patients and those undergoing outpatient surgery or procedures requiring sedation are allowed to have one visitor. Parents or guardians may also visit children under 18.

Surgeries that cannot safely be delayed will take place as scheduled, Doctors Hospital said. Starting Tuesday, inpatient surgeries requiring an overnight stay will be deferred. Same-day, elective surgeries will continue as planned until the current coronavirus surge subsides.

Sarasota Memorial Hospital has also stopped allowing visitors for most patients.

“We will continue to closely monitor COVID-19 trends, and we hope to again relax this temporary restriction as soon as we can safely allow visitation,” the hospital said on its website.

Like what you're reading? Invite a friend to subscribe to free Sarasota newsletters and real-time email alerts.

Exceptions may be made in certain situations, such as end-of-life care. Patients in the Emergency Care Center, Labor & Deliver Unity, and Mother-Baby Unit may each have one support person.

No visitors are allowed in the Behavioral Health Unit and in the Sarasota Memorial Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Pediatric patients may have one parent, caregiver or designated support person each day, and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit patients may each have two visitors, but only one daily. Patients in surgical, procedural and therapy departments may also have one support person who stay in a designated waiting area.