Navicent, Coliseum adjust visitation policy for flu season

MACON, Georgia (WMGT/41NBC) – Navicent Health says it is setting up its first line of defense as the flu starts to circulate.

Starting Monday, Decemeber 10th, children must be age 12 or older to visit The Medical Center, Navicent Health; Medical Center of Peach County, Navicent Health; Navicent Health Baldwin; Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital, Navicenet Health; and Rehabilitation Hospital, Navicent Health.

Administrators at Navicent Health based the decision to restrict visitation on information from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the prevalence of influenza in the region at this time.

“The health of our patients and the community is the highest concern at Navicent Health,” said Tom Oliver, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Navicent Health Enterprise Clinical Systems. “Our policies and actions are designed to protect those at greatest risk during the flu season.”

Individuals with flu-like symptoms and those who have recently had the flu are encouraged to remain at home. Anyone with symptoms of a cold, or others with immunocompromised health status, are encouraged not to visit the hospital.

Coliseum Medical Centers and Coliseum Northside Hospital have also implemented restricted hospital visitation policies that will last between now and the end of flu season.

The Coliseum visitation policy states: For the protection of our patients, we ask that these individuals NOT visit patient or patient care areas:
– Any child under 12 years of age
– Any age visitor with fever or respiratory symptoms
– Children must remain on the first floor and be supervised by an adult

Coliseum Health System put restrictions in place in October in an attempt to prevent the spread of flu between visitors of the hospital, patients and staff. And the flu visitation policies will remain in effect until the end of the flu season.

“Our hospital takes infection control very seriously and steps like this help our patients and staff stay protected from the flu,” said Michelle Mosely, Infection Control Coordinator at Coliseum Northside Hospital. “Also, it keeps children, who are among the most at risk populations, from getting exposed if they were to come into contact with a patient who has the flu.”