December 1, 2009
Dear Patients and Visitors,
We appreciate your patience as we experience the most unusual flu season in recent history. More people are becoming ill due to the addition of 2009 H1N1 flu, together with seasonal flu, coughs and colds.
To help avoid the spread of these infections, Platte Valley Medical Center is implementing the following visitor restrictions as recommended by the Colorado Department of Public Health*:
1. No ill visitors of any age allowed throughout the hospital, especially in the Medical/Surgical Unit, Women’s and Newborn Center, and Intensive Care Unit.
2. No more than four (4) adult visitors at a time in the Medical/Surgical Unit and Women’s and Newborn Center. Additional restrictions may be enforced in the Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, and Special Care Nursery.
3. No visitors less than 12 years of age (healthy or ill), including siblings, for these reasons:
> Children are considered a high risk group for carrying the 2009 H1N1 flu virus.
> Individuals with 2009 H1N1 flu may innocently spread the virus to patients and staff because they can be contagious 24 hours prior to showing any symptoms and potentially infectious for up to seven days.
4. Please wash your hands every time you enter and leave a patient’s room and the hospital. Use the waterless alcohol based products located throughout the hospital, or wash with soap, water, and friction for 15 seconds.
5. Get your seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccines. Visit www.immunizecolorado.com or call the CO HELP line at 1-877-462-2911 for additional information.
As new flu updates are announced, they will be posted to this blog (www.pvmc.org/blog).
We acknowledge the inconvenience this may have for you; however, we ask that you respect this advisory as an important precaution in containing the effects of this potentially dangerous virus.
Sincerely,
* Policy subject to change and exceptions may occur in certain situations.
