Payson Roundup

To help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses to patients, Payson Regional Medical Center is asking visits to be limited.

Other restrictions currently in place: no visitors under 14; those with a fever and cough, sore throat or other respiratory symptoms are being asked to not visit patients in the hospital at this time; all visitors are asked to use tissues when coughing or sneezing and to wash hands often to prevent the spread of germs.

PRMC is in frequent communication with Gila County Health Department to closely monitor influenza-like illness activity in the community. For more than a year, it has had respiratory/ cough etiquette signs and supplies (masks, tissues, hand sanitizer) at the patient registration and waiting areas.

“In September, we added respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette stations to our pre-entry areas at our main entrance and emergency entrances. We have imposed visitor restrictions since early September 2009 when the first cases of influenza-like illness were reported in the community,” said Kerry Cassens, director for infection control, employee health and disaster preparedness for PRMC. She said, “From the time of triage through emergency room treatment to admission and throughout a patient’s inpatient stay for treatment of influenza-like illness, we limit visitors for that patient to absolutely necessary and staff observe special precautions in alignment with what the CDC has recommended for infection prevention for H1N1 in the health care setting.”