Sitka – Effective immediately, Mt. Edgecumbe Medical Center (MEMC) is temporarily modifying its visitation policy due to an uptick in positive COVID-19 cases in the City and Borough of Sitka.
The safety of patients and healthcare workers is a top priority of MEMC and all SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) medical facilities. All medical facilities within the MEMC campus will adhere to SEARHC’s Orange Tier patient visitor guidelines until further notice.
Visitors will not be allowed at MEMC, with the exception of one support person for the following patients: laboring mothers, minors under the age of 18, end-of-life cases, and those with a clinical disability.
Any MEMC visitor must obtain a negative COVID-19 test result before their first time entering the hospital and observe all masking and distance guidelines in place. Screening will be conducted for visitation adherence and an approved face covering will be provided if needed. Visitors must stay in the patient’s room and avoid shared areas, such as hallways or waiting rooms. Back-and-forth visits to the facility will be limited.
With increased visitation from summer tourism and the prevalence of coronavirus variants in Southeast Alaska, SEARHC encourages everyone to be vigilant and protect themselves and others from the recent increase in transmission of COVID-19.
While visitation limitations are currently in effect at MEMC, all SEARHC medical facilities continue to follow the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) safety recommendations. The community is encouraged to stay committed to slowing the spread of COVID-19: wear a face mask, get vaccinated, wash your hands frequently, stay home when sick or symptomatic, and get tested when symptomatic or if a COVID-19 exposure is suspected. Visit searhc.org/covid-19 to register for a no-cost vaccine, or call the COVID Hotline for more information and testing registration at 907.966.8799.