Owensboro Health Regional Hospital is taking action to protect patients from influenza, following a surge in local flu cases.
On January 3, 2018, Owensboro Health Regional Hospital put visitor restrictions into place as a protective measure for patients. The restrictions will remain in place until further notice and are meant to limit the chances that someone infected with the flu could pass it to a patient.
Flu cases have spiked sharply in recent days. As of Wednesday, January 3, Owensboro Health Regional Hospital had 10 patients admitted to the hospital with the flu. In a seven-day period from December 24 to December 30, Owensboro Health recorded 94 positive rapid flu tests.
For healthy adults, influenza can be extremely unpleasant and debilitating. For the very young, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems, it can be deadly. A person who is infected with the virus can be contagious up to 24 hours before they begin to show symptoms, meaning a person who appears and feels healthy can still pass it to others.
Visitor restrictions at OHRH include the following actions:
- Visitors should be kept to a minimum and should only include persons essential for the patient’s care and emotional well-being.
- No children under age 18 will be allowed to visit patients.
- Anyone with a cold, respiratory illness or flu symptoms is asked to refrain from visiting.
- Symptoms meeting these criteria include one or more of the following: Fever or chills, cough, sore throat, runny nose and/or sneezing, muscle/body aches, headaches and fatigue.
Protect yourself!
Prevent the spread of flu to yourself and others by using good hand hygiene. Wash hands often with soap and water, or with a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer. If you have to cough or sneeze, do so into your upper sleeve (in the crook of your elbow) as this keeps germs contained in a place in a place from which they cannot easily spread.
If you haven’t gotten a flu shot this year, it’s not too late to do so, since flu season can last into February and beyond. The flu vaccine takes about two weeks to become active, so being vaccinated sooner is better. Flu shots can protect you from getting the flu, or give you partial immunity, meaning the flu will be less severe and make you sick for a shorter period of time.
Continued on next page
Would you like to know more? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have extensive information and resources about the flu, including current flu activity and what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones. Visit www.cdc.gov/flu to learn more.
Contact: Brian Hamby, Director of Owensboro Health Marketing & Public Relations, (O) 270-685-7749, (C) 270-316-4274, [email protected].
