Ferrell Hospital and several other regional medical facilities have implemented temporary visitor restrictions due to a rise in flu cases across Illinois and the surrounding tri-state area. Health officials say the measures are intended to protect patients, staff, and the broader community.
Debbie Sullivan with Ferrell Hospital’s Employee Health and Infection Prevention Division said the hospital is limiting visits to adults age 18 and older, with no more than two visitors allowed per patient.
“When we start to see those levels rise, which we are seeing not only in Illinois but the tri-state area, we implement those visitor restrictions,” Sullivan said. Sullivan also emphasized the importance of wearing masks when appropriate and practicing good hand hygiene to help prevent the spread of influenza.
Other hospitals in the region have taken similar steps. Franklin Hospital and facilities within Southern Illinois Healthcare have enacted restrictions, while Deaconess Illinois officials announced that temporary visitor limitations at all of their hospitals began recently. There’s no word on if Fairfield Memorial Hospital has implemented this protocol.
Corinna Warren, SIH System Director of Infection Prevention, said this year’s flu season has been more severe than in recent years. SIH officials say flu activity is being closely monitored using data from the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Visitor restrictions will be lifted once flu levels decline into the low category. Health professionals also stress that it is not too late to get a flu shot and that frequent hand washing and staying home when sick remain effective ways to slow the spread of illness.