DMC announces changes in visitor policies due to rise in flu cases
DETROIT (WWJ) - A local hospital system said it is changing its visitor policies in response to an increase in flu cases.
The DMC, including the Children's Hospital of Michigan, has announced that starting Monday, there will be new visitor guidelines. The changes are "for the health and safety of our patients, their families and the community," the hospital system said in a statement about the new guidelines.
"Flu cases have been increasing across the United States," said Dr. Teena Chopra, MPH, Corporate Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology and Antibiotic Stewardship for Detroit Medical Center, and professor of infectious diseases at Wayne State University. "According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan influenza activity is also now increasing rapidly. In this period of increased influenza activity in the community, we made these changes for the safety and care of our patients."
Starting Dec. 18, all patients may have up to two visitors at any one time. Visitors are not allowed on inpatient hospital floors or in observation units if they are aged 12 and under, including siblings and other relatives. Visitors who are 13 and over who have any symptoms of illness, including rash, cough and fever, are asked to not visit until they're symptom free. This applies to private and semi-private rooms.
The DMC said that if the hospitals have more restrictive policies, those will continue to be used instead of the guidelines.
Those with questions about the visitor guidelines can go to the DMC website at www.dmc.org.
