As respiratory illnesses continue to rise in the community, Atrium Health Floyd is urging everyone to take common-sense steps to help protect themselves and the people around them. Health leaders say actions like staying home when sick, practicing good hygiene, and keeping vaccinations up to date can make a meaningful difference in reducing the spread of illness during the sick season.

At the same time, Atrium Health Floyd is implementing temporary visitor restrictions in several high-risk care settings to better protect vulnerable patients and health care workers. The restrictions take effect today, Wednesday, Dec. 10, and apply to acute care hospitals, emergency departments, rehabilitation units and facilities, behavioral health, inpatient hospice, infusion centers, and certain cancer areas, including bone marrow transplant clinics. Under the restrictions, children 12 and under should not visit these locations, and anyone with respiratory symptoms is asked not to visit. Atrium Health Floyd notes an exception for healthy siblings visiting newborns in Mother and Baby or Labor & Delivery units, and additional exceptions may be considered in special cases if the child is symptom-free and approved by the clinical team.

In addition, Atrium Health Floyd is asking visitors in these locations to wear masks in areas where direct patient care is provided and in waiting areas. Dr. Katie Passaretti, vice president and chief infection prevention officer for Advocate Health, says the goal is to keep adult, newborn, and pediatric patients—as well as staff—safer during a time of year when more people tend to get sick, and she encourages anyone feeling ill to stay home rather than visit.

For those who need non-emergency care, Atrium Health Floyd reminds the community that options are available beyond the emergency department, including virtual primary care and around-the-clock video e-visits, along with primary care and urgent care services. Atrium Health Floyd also cautions that some locations may have additional visitor limits and that restrictions may change, urging visitors to follow posted signage and staff directions at care sites.