Visitors Restricted for the Mohawk Valley Health System

UTICA, N.Y. – To better protect patients from the flu and other illnesses, visitor restrictions have been put in place for the Mohawk Valley Health System (Faxton-St. Luke’s Healthcare and St. Elizabeth Medical Center).

A maximum of two visitors per patient will be permitted at any one time and children 12 and under are prohibited from visiting all inpatient areas, as they are more likely to have and transmit respiratory infections.

The hospitals ask that you not visit if you feel ill with any type of upper respiratory problem. Please stay home and delay your visit to keep yourself and the patients and residents safe.

The best protection against contracting influenza includes:

• Frequent and thorough hand washing.
• Covering all coughs and sneezes. If you don’t have a handkerchief or a tissue, use the crook of your arm, not your hand.
• Staying home from work, school or social events if you have a fever, cough, sore throat, body aches and pains or other symptoms such as nausea or vomiting sometimes associated with influenza.
• Avoiding people exhibiting symptoms of a flu-like illness.

If you have flu-like symptoms that are severe and persistent, you should contact your healthcare provider.

The hospitals practice “respiratory etiquette” in their Emergency Departments, Urgent Cares and Primary Care Medical Offices. Each waiting area has masks for patients to wear to cover their cough, and tissues and hand sanitizer for good hand hygiene. Those seeking treatment and have any flu-like symptoms with upper respiratory problems will be asked to wear a mask and may be isolated from other patients.

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Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare and St. Elizabeth Medical Center are affiliates under the Mohawk Valley Health System.