OSF St. Joseph Bloomington implements visitor restrictions with increase in flu activity

Posted on January 2, 2019

By Neil Doyle

BLOOMINGTON – A Bloomington medical center is implementing visitor restrictions with the increase in seasonal flu activity and other upper respiratory illnesses.

OSF Healthcare St. Joseph Medical Center announced the restrictions Wednesday in an effort to protect patients from flu activity.

Restrictions include visitors being at least 18 years old because children are known to be at a higher risk for transmission of viral infections. OSF is also suggesting people who are not feeling well and who have experienced flu-like symptoms in the last seven days to not visit hospitalized patients.

Flu-like symptoms include a fever of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, cough, or a sore throat.

Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Normal and Advocate Eureka Hospital are currently not under formal visitor restrictions.

Medical professionals are reminding people to wash hands with soap and water and to cough or sneeze in an arm or shoulder to help reduce the spread of germs.

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]

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