Swine Flu & Hospital Restrictions

Do you have a friend or relative in the hospital that you are planning to visit? Before you do, you better call the hospital to see what their visitors’ restrictions are. Many hospitals around the US are beginning to put restrictions on the visitors coming to see their patients. Hospital officials say that they are trying to reduce the swine flu from spreading.

Most of the hospitals are restricting kids from visiting because the H1N1 seems to spread very quickly amongst kids. Restrictions vary greatly from hospital to hospital, even if they are in the same area. Stanford University Hospital has restricted anyone under 16 years old from visiting. While a Vermont hospital has decided to restrict children under 12 from visiting. There are some hospitals that aren’t necessarily restricting an age but the symptoms that one may have. In Indiana, visitors are asked to answer some questions and then wear a green sticker indicating that they have been cleared to visit.

The Inova Health System Hospital in D.C. is advising pregnant women that they will have to limit themselves to just one visitor during their stay in the maternity ward. In addition, the hospital has cancelled its popular “what-to-expect” tours for expectant parents. However, most of the hospitals have chosen to post signs asking for people to refrain from visiting if they have the slightest symptom such as a sniffle or a cough. Many hospitals have available hand sanitizer and face masks for their visitors to use upon entering the hospitals.

I think the best thing to do when you are visiting a loved one in the hospital is to use common sense. Before you go in the hospital room, wash your hands thoroughly or use hand sanitizer that is probably readily available at the hospital. If you aren’t feeling 100%, postpone your visit until you are. These restrictions are supposed to end once the flu season is over.

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