PROVIDENCE – Lifespan Corp. says it is ramping up precautions against the flu by screening hospital visitors and patients with respiratory symptoms who go to emergency rooms or outpatient clinics for treatment.
Precautions will be taken at the health system’s outpatient facilities and at Rhode Island, The Miriam and Newport hospitals.
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Measures include a ban on visitors age 12 and under at Hasbro Children’s Hospital. Children are discouraged from visiting patients in other hospitals as well.
Any hospital visitor who shows signs of a cough, cold, fever or flu-like symptoms “will now be strongly advised to go home,” a news release from Lifespan says.
Hand sanitizer is available at all hospital and clinic entrances, although masks will be mainly reserved for patients with flu-like symptoms who are seeking treatment.
Rhode Island is experiencing a widespread outbreak of the flu, according to the R.I. Department of Health. The designation is the most severe in a five-tier system used to measure flu activity, RIDOH spokesman Joseph Wendelken said.
So far this flu season, there have been 444 flu-related hospitalizations and nine deaths in the state.
Health officials continue to urge those who have not gotten the flu vaccine to do so.
