As COVID-19 numbers surge, Blake Medical Center tightens visitation rules again

Just three weeks after Blake Medical Center relaxed its visitation policies amid the coronavirus pandemic, the hospital is enacting restrictions once again as the number of positive COVID-19 cases surge across Florida and Manatee County.

HCA Healthcare, the parent company of Blake, has initiated the policies in all of its area hospitals.

As of Wednesday, no visitors will be permitted for admitted patients, “to help ensure the safety of our patients and caregivers, and one visitor may accompany patients who are arriving for outpatient surgery and for emergency needs,” HCA announced.

The new policy includes the following rules for visitation:

• No visitors are allowed into inpatient units, unless approved by the hospital administrator. They will likely be limited to end-of-life situations.
• One visitor may accompany the patient into the emergency room waiting area, but they are not allowed if the patient is admitted.
• One visitor is allowed per patient who is having an outpatient surgery or other outpatient procedure requiring sedation. Permitted visitors must remain in the waiting area.
• No one under the age of 18 will be considered for visitation unless they are the parent of a hospitalized child.

Blake Medical Center, 2020 59th St. W., will require everyone to wear masks when entering the hospital. Visitors will be required to allow staff to take their temperatures, be screened for illnesses and asked the following questions:

• Have you had a fever and signs of respiratory illness?
• Have you traveled outside the country within the last 14 days?
• Have you traveled by plane or train in the past 14 days?
• Have you been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 without wearing protective equipment?
• Are you currently being tested for COVID-19?
• Do you have any allergy symptoms?
• Do you have loss of taste, loss of smell, or metallic taste?
• Do you have bowel or stomach problems?
• Have you had any recent hospitalization?

If you answer yes to any of those questions, you will not be allowed to enter the hospital unless seeking emergency assistance.

The hospital encourages family, friends and patients to use social media applications to communicate with one another.

This story was originally published July 1, 2020 at 8:14 AM.