Patient visitation to resume after two-month break at two Bradenton area hospitals
Patient visitation at Manatee Memorial Hospital and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center is set to resume at noon on Tuesday after being suspended for two months due to a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Manatee Memorial Hospital will allow one visitor, age 18 or older, to visit patients on the nursing inpatient units from noon to 6 p.m. each day.
Patients who are positive for COVID-19 or are being tested for COVID-19 will not be allowed visitors.
In July, all three Manatee County hospitals — Manatee Memorial, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, and Blake Medical Center — hit capacity as COVID-19 cases spiked. The hospitals had the space, but not enough nurses to care for more patients.
During the July surge, about 20 percent of patients in local hospitals tested positive for the coronavirus.
Visitors to Manatee Memorial, 206 Second St. E., and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, 8330 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., are required to enter through the main entrances, use antibacterial foam, receive a temperature check and answer a screening questionnaire.
Visitors are required to wear a mask, their own or one provided by the hospital, upon entry and during their visit. Visitors will also be required to stay in the specific room assigned to the patient.
Blake Medical Center has not yet resumed allowing patient visitation.
“Blake Medical Center continues to closely monitor the spread of COVID-19 in our community, and we are cautiously optimistic that our visitor policy will be adjusted in the near future as declining trends continue,” Lisa Kirkland, director of marketing, said in an email.
The hospitals encourages family and friends to call, using FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, or communicate via email.
This story was originally published September 2, 2020 at 2:21 PM.
