Important Information
What we are doing to keep our patients, visitors and caregivers safe
- screening visitors for illness upon entry. Additionally, we are screening patients and visitors upon entry to determine if they meet certain risk factors for coronavirus including travel to endemic areas, if they’ve had close contact with a person who has or had coronavirus, or if they present with a fever and cough or lower respiratory symptoms
- ensuring sufficient supplies of vital personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, protective gowns, and eye protection
- safeguarding our caregivers including physicians, nurses, and technicians to patient transporters and members of our environmental services and food and nutrition staffs by providing additional infection prevention training so we can care for our communities without putting our caregivers at risk
- reinforcing rigorous infection prevention protocols for environmental cleaning and disinfection procedures, prescribed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), so they are followed consistently and correctly
At HCA West Florida Division, and across our HCA Healthcare network, we’re no stranger to threats. We deal with them daily.
About Coronavirus
With coronavirus (COVID-19), the safety of HCA West Florida Division patients and visitors remains our top priority. We regularly treat patients with infectious diseases and our clinical teams are highly trained in infection prevention protocols. HCA West Florida Division is closely monitoring COVID-19 developments in partnership with our local and state health departments and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. These symptoms can range from mild to severe and include:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
What can I do to protect myself and others?
Public health officials recommend the following steps to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including influenza and COVID-19:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
- Stay home when you are sick
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue
- Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands often, using either soap and water or alcohol-based hand gel for at least 20 seconds
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
Stay up-to-date
For additional information and ongoing updates on COVID-19, please refer to local and state health departments and the CDC’s Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) hub.
Frequently asked questions
COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, is a new respiratory disease thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.
Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure and can include fever, cough and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
Currently, those at greatest risk of infection are persons who have had prolonged, unprotected close contact with a patient with symptomatic, confirmed COVID-19 and/or those who live in or have recently been to areas with sustained transmission.
The onset and period of infectiousness for COVID-19 are not yet known. Current study suggests that the incubation period may range from 2–14 days. The virus is now spreading from person-to-person, between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) and through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some cause illness in people, and others only infect animals. Rarely, animal coronaviruses that infect animals have emerged to infect people and then spread between people. This is suspected to have occurred for the virus that causes COVID-19.
- Stay home when you feel sick and avoid close contact with others who are sick.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose or mouth, because this is where viruses can enter.
- Always cover a cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw that tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects.
If you are experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough or difficulty breathing – or if you have travelled to an area affected by the current strain of coronavirus – please let your physician know immediately.
Our facilities deal with communicable diseases on a daily basis and we will continue to take precautionary measures as we always have. We have strong protocols in place and are following all guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure a safe environment.
- Every patient, visitor and vendor is screened outside of our primary lobbies, ER entrances and loading docks.
- Points of entry to our facilities have been limited.
- As we often do during heavy influenza outbreaks, visitor restrictions have been instituted in patient care areas.
- We have done, and continue to do, deep cleaning throughout all of our care sites.
- Our Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been activated to coordinate daily communication and response across all of our hospitals.
Our facility is a safe place to seek care, no matter what your health need. Since well before the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic, our facilities have taken measures to create a safe environment. Now, as ever, we have strong protocols in place and are following all guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Along with many other precautions, we have been proactive and ready with all supplies related to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including masks, gowns and any resources necessary for precautionary isolation of symptomatic patients. The safety of our patients is and always has been our first priority and we will continue to provide safe, effective, patient-centered care.
The CDC has a robust website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html. The CDC also houses responses to commonly asked questions on their website.
