Visitors Restricted At Area Hospitals During Flu Season
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4)- Several hospitals across Colorado have implemented restrictions on who can visit patients in their facilities.
UCHealth and Banner Health hospitals have enforced a policy which restricts many children from entering portions of their hospitals in hope of preventing the spread of flu and cold viruses.
At UCHealth locations, like Medical Center of the Rockies and Poudre Valley Hospital, will not allow children younger than teenagers into their ICU, NICU, and orthopedic departments.
"You don't come to the hospital to get sick," said Dr. Paul Poduska, Infection Prevention and Control specialist at PVH.
Poduska said children 12 years and younger are more likely to contract and transfer viruses which could put at-risk patients in harm's way.
"Those who are developing the flu are shedding the virus 24 hours before showing symptoms of the virus," Poduska said. "[Patients in certain units] are the highest risk of developing a respiratory virus that could be life threatening."
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The hospitals have placed stations near entrances of their hospitals, which provide hand sanitizer and face masks.
Those who have children in the NICU at UCHealth hospitals could ask doctors to screen their older children, in order to gain access to visitation.
UCHealth said they enforce the rule with children 12 years old and under, while Banner Health is implementing the rule for children 13 years and under.
UCHealth told CBS4 they would keep their rule in place through the remainder of the cold and flu season, which typically ends in March.
Dillon Thomas is a reporter at CBS4 and a Colorado native. He believes everyone has a story, and would love to share yours! You can find more of his stories by following him on Twitter, @DillonMThomas.