PEORIA, Ill. — If you have a friend or loved one residing at one of Peoria’s many hospital facilities, you are asked to limit your visitation.
The Peoria City/County Health Department issued the release Thursday on behalf of OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center, UnityPoint Health’s Methodist, Proctor, and Pekin campuses, Hopedale Medical Complex, and Kindred Hospital.
According to the release, starting on Monday, Nov. 21, you’ll be asked to bring no more than two people to visit any one patient in their room and officials say it’s preferred that families prohibit visits by anyone under the age of 18.
Individuals who are not feeling well or have had flu-like symptoms in the past seven days should not visit hospitalized patients.
When entering and leaving a patient’s room, individuals should wash their hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand foam/gel.
People should cough or sneeze into their arm, shoulder, or tissue (not hands) to reduce the spread of germs that can be passed from hands touching surfaces or people.
Peoria City/County health officials say data indicates increased flu activity throughout the Peoria region, “prompting area hospitals to follow best practices from the Illinois Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
The release adds that while the request is “restrictive in nature”, health officials believe the request is in the best interest of patient health and safety.
