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Visitation Guidelines To Be Implemented At Area Hospitals

CDC
Get your flu shot!

Visitation guidelines take effect Monday at several regional hospitals to protect patients from influenza and other infectious diseases after a warning by the New York state Department of Health about the prevalence of the flu.

Patient receives flu shot.
Credit Flickr
Patient receives flu shot.

According to Albany Medical Center, hospitals implementing restrictions include Albany Med, Columbia Memorial Hospital and Saratoga Hospital.

Albany Memorial Hospital, Samaritan Hospital, St. Mary's Hospital (Troy), St. Peter's Hospital, and Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital already have the restrictions in place:

•          A maximum of two visitors in a patient's room at any one time.

•          Children 12 and under being prohibited from visiting patients' rooms.

•          Visitors with rash, diarrhea or respiratory symptoms including fever, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath

being prohibited from visiting patients.

The hospitals also are urging all visitors to use hand-washing stations before entering and upon leaving a patient's room.

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.