Contact: Sharon Sopp, 410.740.7646, ssopp@hcgh.org
Columbia, MD – Because of the dramatic increase in the number of reported cases of H1N1 in Howard County and because this increase is particularly prominent in the pediatric population, Howard County General Hospital has decided to make temporary changes to our visitation guidelines.
“The primary goal of these temporary visitor restrictions is to provide a safe environment for the patients in the hospital,” said Sharon Hadsell, senior vice president of Patient Care. “Most hospitalized patients are already dealing with a medical problem. Contracting the H1N1 virus could put a further strain on their immune system. These restrictions are meant to minimize that risk. These are temporary measures until people have had the opportunity to be vaccinated.”
- Children under age 16, unless they are a patient, are temporarily restricted from all patient care areas including patient rooms, therapy areas, and outpatient service areas. Once H1N1 vaccinations begin, children with proof of H1N1 vaccination two weeks or more prior to the visit will be allowed to visit.
- Patient visitors are restricted to immediate family members only.
- In the Intensive Care Unit, only two visitors will be allowed with the patient at one time.
- If you have influenza-like symptoms, do not visit patients. Symptoms include fever and one or more of the following:
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Body Aches
- Headache
- Chills and fatigue
- Sometimes vomiting and diarrhea
- HCGH encourages individuals throughout the community to take the following preventive measures:
- Get vaccinated;
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when you cough or sneeze;
- Wash hands often with soap and hot water or with alcohol-based hand cleaner;
- Avoid close contact with sick people;
- If you are sick, PLEASE STAY HOME.
For more information, visit www.hchealth.org or call the Howard County Health Department Flu Information Line at 410-313-6503.
The visitation restrictions are intended to be a temporary measure while the H1N1 influenza epidemic is at high levels in the community and while the population is not protected by vaccination. The restrictions will be modified or discontinued once the level of disease in the pediatric population has decreased significantly.
Howard County General Hospital: A Member of Johns Hopkins Medicine since 1998 is a 227-bed, not-for-profit, health care provider located in Columbia, Maryland. Serving the community since 1973, the hospital has a professional staff of over 800 physicians and allied health professionals, representing 78 specialties and subspecialties; a workforce of more than 1,800 individuals and volunteer auxilians numbering over 600. Over the past three decades, the hospital has grown into a comprehensive, acute-care medical center that offers a full range of services, from neonatal care and oncology to outpatient treatment and critical care.
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