â Latest health facility to impose new visitor rules due to H1N1

ELIZABETHTOWN — Moses-Ludington Hospital has joined three other local hospitals in curtailing visitation as an H1N1-related precaution.

Inter-Lakes Health is temporarily restricting visitors to the Moses-Ludington Hospital and Heritage Commons nursing center in order to keep patients, residents and staff healthy, Inter-Lakes spokesman Pat Dowd said.

"These visiting precautions are being implemented because influenza and other respiratory viruses spread easily in small rooms and close quarters, and many people that have only minimal symptoms or that may be recovering from influenza could still be infectious to patients, residents and anyone with whom they come in contact."

Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake, CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh and Elizabethtown Community Hospital have already imposed visitor restrictions due to the H1N1 flu outbreak.

RESTRICTIONS
Dowd said Inter-Lakes Health is administering influenza vaccines to all pertinent staff members.

The temporary visitation measures include: no visitors under the age of 18; all adult visitors must wash their hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer upon entering and leaving any patient/resident care unit; and no one may visit if they have any signs of an upper-respiratory infection, vomiting or diarrhea, fever, or flu-like symptoms, such as sore throat, muscle aches, fever and chills.

Adult visitors who are not ill may visit but are asked to check in with the charge-nurse on each unit for instructions before visiting.

Dowd said visitation may be further restricted or totally denied in the future if any of the facilities have an outbreak of illness.

"We only have your family members' best interest in mind with these temporary visitation changes."

He said questions should be directed to Inter-Lakes Chief Operating Officer Michael Zemany at 585-3934 or Infection Control Coordinator Jane Whitney at 585-3886.

Anyone with questions about other hospitals' rules should call those facilities before visiting patients.

E-mail Lohr McKinstry at: lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com