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Visitor Restrictions lifted at Faxton-St. Luke’s Healthcare, Rome Memorial and St. Elizabeth Medical Center

By NEWSChannel 2

Story Created: Jan 31, 2013 at 9:30 AM EDT

Story Updated: Jan 31, 2013 at 11:10 AM EDT

Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare (FSLH), Rome Memorial Hospital and St. Elizabeth Medical Center (SEMC) have lifted restrictions on visitors under 18 years of age based on what they say is a decline in the number of cases of flu-like illness among area patients.

The additional visitor restrictions on the Maternity and Pediatric Units have also been lifted.

While the restrictions have been lifted, the hospitals ask that if you are coming to visit a patient and feel ill with any type of upper respiratory problem that you stay at home and delay your visit to keep yourself and our patients and residents safe.

The best protection against contracting influenza includes:

• Frequent and thorough hand washing.
• Covering all coughs and sneezes. If you don’t have a handkerchief or a tissue, use the crook of your arm, not your hand.
• Staying home from work, school or social events if you have a fever, cough, sore throat, body aches and pains, or other symptoms like nausea or vomiting sometimes associated with influenza.
• Avoiding people exhibiting symptoms of a flu-like illness.

If you have flu-like symptoms and they are severe and persistent you should contact your healthcare provider. Hospital officials advise against overloading Emergency Departments, Urgent Care facilities and primary care providers’ offices at the first sign of a cold.

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