PINEHURST – With flu season intensifying across North Carolina, FirstHealth of the Carolinas is asking for the community’s cooperation to limit the spread of the virus.
To protect patients, visitors and staff, FirstHealth asks the community to adhere to the following precautions when visiting FirstHealth’s four hospitals:
· Please visit immediate family only when necessary.
· Please do not allow children under 12 to visit the hospital.
· Do not visit anyone in the hospital if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills or fatigue.
· Remember to wash your hands and cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing to prevent the spread of influenza.
· If you haven’t already, get a flu vaccine. The flu vaccine is available at FirstHealth Primary Care and Convenient Care clinics.
Visitor restrictions apply at all FirstHealth hospitals: Moore Regional, Montgomery Memorial, MRH-Richmond and MRH-Hoke.
Patients are asked to adhere to the restrictions when visiting any area of the hospital including rehabilitation and outpatient clinics.
“The decision to implement visitor restrictions is a result of an increase in patients with flu at FirstHealth hospitals and the increase in flu cases across the state,” explained Jayne Lee, R.N., Director, Infection Control/Patient Safety for FirstHealth of the Carolinas. “There are several steps folks can take to help prevent the spread of flu including washing your hands frequently and getting a flu vaccine. It is not too late to get a flu vaccine,” she added.
If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, please see your doctor.
“As with most diseases and illnesses, prevention is key. Regardless of whether you received a flu shot or not, practice good hand hygiene to prevent the flu from becoming a pandemic occurrence,” stressed Jackie Danielsen, RN, Infection Control/Employee Health Nurse at Plains Medical Center.
Other recommendations include:
– Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
– Wash hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds.
– If soap and water are unavailable to wash hands, use an alcohol-based hand rub or gel.
– If possible, stay home from work, school, or errands when sick. This will help prevent others from catching the illness.
– Cover the mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. If a tissue isn’t available, cough or sneeze into the upper sleeve, and not into bare hands. Dispose used tissues in waste containers.
– Do not touch eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
– Disinfecting your home and belongings, such as doorknobs, light switches, children’s toys and play areas.