
At UF Health, we have taken many steps to ensure the health and safety of our patients, visitors and caregivers throughout our hospitals and emergency rooms in Gainesville as we deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
For patients and visitors, the following precautions are in place:
- COVID-19 testing of all adult patients being admitted or transferred to UF Health hospitals in Gainesville
- Limiting visitors to one for each patient’s entire hospital stay or visit; no one under the age of 18 allowed to visit
- Screening of all visitors for signs and symptoms of illness, including cough, fever or shortness of breath; checking temperatures; not permitting visitation by those who are ill
- Strongly encouraging a face covering be worn by visitors (offering masks to those that do not have them)
- Encouraging virtual visits with loved ones when possible
- Eliminating food and flower deliveries within our hospitals
Additional safety measures being taken by our caregivers to keep patients and visitors safe include:
- Wearing ear loop masks while in patient care areas
- Wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, or PPE, including the use of N95 masks, when treating COVID-19 positive patients
- Educating staff on the proper procedures for donning and doffing various types of PPE using videos and written instructions
- Converting in-person patient visits to virtual visits whenever possible
- Constant thorough cleaning throughout our hospitals and ERs by our environmental services staff
- Offering testing for healthy ER faculty, staff and first responders to receive confidential COVID-19 testing through the UF Emerging Pathogens Institute research lab
