COVID-19

Your Safety is Our Top Priority

At Southwest General, providing safe, quality care has always been our top priority. For everyone’s safety, we ask that you do not visit or accompany a patient if you are sick, have a fever, have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 11 days, or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 within the past 11 days.

If you have an in-person appointment scheduled at one of our facilities and if you have cold or flu-like symptoms such as a fever, cough, congestion or runny nose, please call your doctor’s office before your appointment. Your physician’s office can provide guidance about whether you should come to the appointment and can order testing if appropriate.

Visitor Restrictions

Effective April 3, 2023, patients, visitors and staff at Southwest General are no longer required to wear masks in patient care areas throughout the organization. Wearing a mask will be optional at this time with the following exceptions:

Masks will still be required for infection prevention in the following situations:

• Patients with respiratory symptoms while in waiting rooms
• Anyone entering the room of a patient on isolation precautions for which a mask is required.
  Additionally, visitors to patients who are COVID-19 positive must follow all additional safety guidelines specified by the patient care unit.
• Staff members who are returning to work after a respiratory illness. Employee Occupational Health Services will provide guidance on individual situations as needed.

All patients, visitors and staff are asked to follow the above guidelines and to be respectful of others who choose to wear a mask while in our facilities.

At Southwest General, providing safe, quality care has always been our top priority. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, please be assured that we are taking the proper steps to keep patients, visitors and staff safe—so that we may continue to provide the care and attention you deserve:

COVID-19 Information and Resources

Signs and Symptoms

Individuals with COVID-19 have reported a wide-range of symptoms—from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms. Symptoms include (but are not limited to):

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Stay Informed

To learn more about the coronavirus and what you can do to help protect yourself and your loved ones from the spread of infection, visit: