Sanford Bemidji & Bagley Medical Centers implement seasonal visitor restrictions

BEMIDJI, Minn.–Due to a recent rise in respiratory illnesses within the Bemidji area, Sanford Bemidji Medical Center and Sanford Bagley Medical Center will implement updated visitor restrictions. Sanford is enacting these guidelines in order to protect patients and employees from potentially catching and spreading illness. Visiting hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

A donor recognition and ribbon cutting celebration for the Sanford Bemidji Heart and Vascular Center, originally set for Thursday, Feb. 29, will also be postponed due to the rise in illness.

Visitor restrictions will be effective at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27. Sanford Bemidji and Sanford Bagley hospitals will put in place the following restrictions for all visitors, including staff members and their families:

Four visitors are allowed to visit per day, with a maximum of two visitors in a patient’s room at one time.

• All minor visitors must be accompanied by an adult.

• One visitor may spend the night as an emotional support person.

People who are ill or showing symptoms should not visit.

• Visitors recently exposed to a respiratory illness and/or visiting a patient with a respiratory illness must wear a mask at all times. Patients are encouraged to bring their own face mask. However, a mask will be provided if visitors don’t have one.

• All Sanford Health locations encourage patients to wear a mask if they are showing signs of respiratory illness or have COVID-19.

Special Care Nursery Visitors:

• No more than two people may visit at one time—one of the two people must be a parent/caregiver who is wearing an infant identification band.

• All visitors must be six years old or older and wear a mask at all times in the nursery. Visiting time will be limited to 15 minutes.

Visiting COVID-19 patients in isolation:

• Visitors must wear a mask at all times.

• Visitors should only visit the patient’s room and minimize their time spent in other locations.

• Unvaccinated visitors should quarantine for five days after their visit, followed by strict mask use for another five days.

• Full vaccinated visitors should wear a mask for 10 days after their visit.

Specific visitation requests may be accommodated at the discretion of the department director.

About Sanford Health

Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization serves more than one million patients and 220,000 health plan members across 250,000 square miles. The integrated health system has 47 medical centers, 2,800 Sanford physicians and advanced practice providers, 170 clinical investigators and research scientists, more than 200 Good Samaritan Society senior care locations and world clinics in 8 countries around the globe. Learn more about Sanford Health's commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.