DETROIT – The Detroit Medical Center is tightening its visitor policies amid a surge in flu cases across Michigan.
The changes will apply to all of their hospitals and medical facilities, including the Children’s Hospital of Michigan, starting on Monday, Dec. 8.
“We take care of patients who are immunocompromised, meaning their immune system is a little bit weaker,” Dr. Rudolph Valentini, the chief medical officer at Children’s Hospital, said. “If a patient comes in seemingly well and they’re 10 years old, tomorrow they may come down with something and then they will have exposed our patients.”
Similar restrictions went into place last year, and Valentini said DMC felt the time was right to bring them back now.
“Just about this time every year, we usually put in the restrictions,” Valentini said. “The guidelines help minimize the foot traffic and exposures to our patients and families.”
The guidelines are as follows:
- Patients are allowed up to two visitors at any one time.
- Kids ages 12 and under are not allowed on inpatient hospital floors or in observation units.
- Visitors ages 13 and older who have a fever, cough, or rash are asked not to visit.
- All visitors with illness or cold symptoms are also asked to refrain from visiting.
According to the CDC, the national vaccination rate of among children is 36 percent while 39 percent of adults have gotten the flu shot as of dec. 1.
Last year’s flu season was especially deadly for Michigan kids.The state health department reported 14 pediatric flu deaths -- the highest number recorded in a single year since the state began tracking it back in 2004. MDHHS also reported more than 33,000 hospitalizations from the flu last year.
“It’s too early to tell you if the morbidity, you know, the complications from influenza are greater this year than prior years.”
The measures are meant to help keep patients safe in the hospital, but Dr. Valentini says there’s a sure fire way to help stay safe from the flu.
“The best thing we can do is get our flu shot.”