Eisenhower Medical makes changes to protect patients, staff during flu season

According to medical professionals, flu season has arrived. Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage is taking extra precautions to keep patients, visitors and employees safe.

If your loved one is in the hospital, the hospital encourages you limit the number of visitors to reduce the patient’s possible exposure to the flu. If you’re feeling under the weather, please do not visit friends or family in the hospital.

Starting November 1, children under the age of 18 will not be allowed as visitors during the flu season, except under special circumstances.

“We want people to come and visit, but patients in the hospital are usually very sick and vulnerable. So if you’re sick yourself, even if you don’t think it’s too serious, please keep your germs at home and don’t bring them in,” said Infection Preventionist, Michael Connors.

Eisenhower Medical also requires its employees to get flu shots every year.

“If they don’t get a flu shot they need to wear a mask while in the hospital,” said Connors.

If you are seeking medical care at a facility and have flu-like symptoms, such as cough, fever, runny nose, congestion, chills and body aches, wear a mask and wash your hands.

So far in California experts are seeing sporadic cases of influenza, according to Connors. He said it’s too soon to tell how severe this flu season will get.

The flu vaccine wasn’t a good match for the flu that circulated last year. This year’s vaccine is expected be better.

“The reality is, even though it wasn’t a good match it still prevented 20 percent of infection,” said Connors.

It is not too late to get the flu vaccine. Vaccines are available at Eisenhower Urgent Care locations. Call 760-834-3593 for information. Remember to wash your hands! Good hand hygiene has been proven to reduce the spread of germs.