Floyd Easing Visitation Restrictions as COVID-19 Cases Decline

Floyd is expanding visitation beginning 8 a.m. Monday, March 22. Some restrictions remain in place because of COVID-19 to ensure the safety of patients, staff members and visitors.

Visitation hours at Floyd Medical Center, Polk Medical Center and Cherokee Medical Center will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Two designated visitors per hospitalized patient will be permitted. No children younger than 16 will be allowed to visit patients in the hospital.

“I am grateful that we can take another step towards providing more access to families,” said Sheila Bennett, Executive Vice President and Chief of Patient Services at Floyd. “It is such an important part of the healing process to have family members and friends lend their support.”

Pediatric patients (hospitalized, emergency room and surgery) will be permitted two designated visitors. Those visitors must be 18 or older.

Patients scheduled for routine outpatient procedures and those needing care at emergency rooms, primary care offices, urgent care locations, rehabilitation, wound care and imaging departments are allowed one visitor. Visitation may be further limited when visitors cannot be safely seated at least six feet apart.

Visitors with flu-like symptoms and those with a positive or pending COVID-19 test within the last 10 days will not be allowed to enter.

“Even though Floyd is expanding the visitation policy, we still have to be diligent in preventing COVID-19,” said Dr. Ken Jones, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Floyd.

Parents or guardians should not bring minor children when attending primary care, urgent care or other outpatient visits unless the child is the patient. We require adult patients who have no other option to notify us prior to their appointment that minor children will be accompanying them during the visit.

Requests for additional visitors due to special circumstances, such as end-of-life, will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

All visitors and patients will be screened before entering the hospital. Visitors with flu-like symptoms and those with a positive or pending COVID-19 test will not be allowed to enter.