Click here to view Sarasota Memorial's COVID-19 Report
Sarasota Memorial & COVID-19
Sarasota Memorial continually evaluates and adjusts our COVID-19 policies based on ongoing guidance from the CDC, infectious disease and epidemiology specialists and our medical staff leaders. The requirements below reflect our ongoing commitment to protect vulnerable patients while taking into consideration the latest infection trends.
Visitation at Hospital Campuses
General visiting hours in most areas of our hospital campuses are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Masks are no longer required when visiting non-COVID patients, though standard precautious may be recommended based on individual patient assessment. Exceptions may be made my physician's order or hospital discretion.
Visitation for COVID-19 Patients:
- Visitors to COVID-19 patients must check in at the nurses' station and wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE supplied by Sarasota Memorial). Instructions on how to put on and remove the PPE will be provided. Visitors are asked to remain inside the COVID-19 patient's room for the duration of their visit.
If you are experiencing symptoms or have recently been exposed to COVID-19, please postpone your visit for the safety of our patients and team members.
For additional visitor information and guidelines for specialized units, click here.
COVID-19 Testing
Sarasota Memorial provides COVID-19 testing for symptomatic patients who will be admitted to the hospital or scheduled for certain surgeries or procedures that require an overnight stay, regardless of vaccination status. Testing instructions will be provided during your Pre-admission Testing (PAT) appointment. For information about our testing requirements, please call our PAT team at the Sarasota Campus at 941-917-2425 or for the Venice Campus at 941-261-0390.
Outpatient COVID-19 testing (for diagnosis or travel, work or school clearance) is available at Sarasota Memorial Urgent Care Centers for a fee. Click here for more information on COVID-19 testing at our urgent care center locations.
Think You Have COVID-19?
If you have mild to moderate symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, chills, muscle pain, headache, new loss of taste or smell, fatigue, diarrhea), call your doctor, walk-in urgent care center or community healthcare provider for information on testing and how to seek care without exposing others. If you are experiencing more serious symptoms, such as shortness of breath/difficulty breathing or extreme fatigue, please call 9-1-1 and seek care immediately.
Outpatient therapies are now available to help treat eligible people who do get sick. The Sarasota County COVID Therapy Coalition has created a resource page with helpful links and treatment guidelines to help our Suncoast community access the right treatment at the right time. Visit smh.com/treatcovid for information.
Vaccines for COVID-19
The decision to vaccinate is a personal choice and one that we encourage people to discuss with their physician. The CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccination for all people aged 6 months and older, including women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or those who might become pregnant in the future. We encourage you to discuss the benefits and risks with your obstetrician and pediatrician. More information about the risks and benefits of vaccination, and recommendations for specific groups, is available on the CDC website.
* Page last updated March 24, 2023. COVID-19 information is continually evolving. For the most up-to-date info, also visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.