With increasing levels of Influenza and other viral illnesses throughout the state, Ministry Health Care is urging all people to take an active role in preventing the spread of these illnesses.
They suggest that people use discretion when visiting friends and family members at the hospital and limit visitation to only those situations that are most important. Individuals should not visit if they are acutely ill with cough, fever, runny nose, or other signs or symptoms of illness. Some hospitals may have more restrictive requirements so please check with your local hospital before visiting.
Often overlooked, the best way to prevent the spread of illness and disease is by practicing good hand hygiene, covering your cough and by staying home from work or school if you are not feeling well.
Additionally, individuals displaying symptoms of influenza-like illness should avoid visits to medical facilities unless seeking medical care or treatment.
Flu symptoms include fever, cough, body aches, sore throat or runny nose. Those seeking care at medical facilities should wear a mask, which is provided at entrances to facilities throughout the system. Those visiting hospitalized flu patients should wear a hospital mask, and wash hands with soap and water for 15 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand rub before entering and exiting the patient’s room.
Persons who live with flu patients are also asked to practice good hand hygiene and routinely clean surfaces in areas like the kitchen and bathroom that often provide easy access for the spread of bacteria.
In an effort to provide useful information for the community on this subject, a series of flu prevention videos are available on the Ministry Health Care Facebook and You Tub Channel which can be accessed via Ministry Health.org.