Hospital Limits Visitors to Combat Flu

By Mark Geary, Reporter

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By Daren Sukhram

Story Created: Oct 15, 2009 at 9:16 PM CST

Story Updated: Oct 15, 2009 at 9:16 PM CST

CEDAR RAPIDS - Both Mercy Medical Center and St. Luke's Hospital have seen more than a 20% increase in emergency room patients this week. They blame the flu for many of those cases. Now, the hospitals are taking action.

Starting Monday, Mercy Medical Center and St. Luke's Hospital will not allow children under 18 to visit people in the hospital.

"We in Cedar Rapids have never done that, but other communities have and it's been effective in reducing the illness in the patient population," said St. Luke's Jolene Ott.

The goal is to prevent sick children from bringing the flu into the hospital and to stop healthy children from getting sick while they're in the building.

"Probably the most alarming statistic I've heard is that, on average, about 80 children die from the flu every year. We've already had about that many children die of H1N1 and it's only mid-October," Mercy spokesperson Mark Valliere said.

Hospitals will also only allow two adult visitors in each room at a time, cancel all school tours, and postpone a variety of classes and programs that involve bringing children into the building.

"When people are already sick, sometimes the last thing they need is more illness," Valliere added.

Plus, every employee at both hospitals has been strongly encouraged to get a flu shot.

"I think it is a real thing. I don't think it's overblown at all," Ott said.

At this point, you won't find anyone policing the new policy, but you will notice signs posted around the hospitals.

"We're going to try not to be real heavy-handed about the whole thing. We hope the general public will realize we're doing this for the right reason," Valliere said.

"We want to make sure we protect our community and our patients as much as possible," said Ott.

These limitations and restrictions will remain in effect until doctors believe the threat has ended which will likely be sometime next year.

Hospitals say there will be some exceptions to the policy, such as end of life care. In situations like that, they will allow children to visit their loved ones.

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