Help us protect our patients from the H1N1 virus ("swine flu")
The H1N1 virus ("swine flu") is expected to spread this fall, affecting almost one-third of Portland's population. People younger than 25 are at least 4 times as likely get this flu, and anyone who gets it can be contagious for up to 24 hours before they show any symptoms.
It's important to note that pregnant women are very vulnerable to the H1N1 virus. While they make up only 1% of the population, they account for 6% of all H1N1-related deaths.
Legacy is committed to protecting our vulnerable patients from swine flu. Beginning Monday October 5, our visitor policies will change:
- Visitors aged 18 and younger are limited to immediate family members of Legacy patients.
- No visitors aged 18 or younger in our Intensive Care Units or Family Birth Centers except for parents of Legacy patients
- Only two immediate family members or two support persons can accompany expectant moms to the Family Birth Center during their delivery and hospital stay. Please check with your particular Family Birth Center for details and answers to your questions.
- Any visitor with respiratory symptoms - coughing, sneezing, sniffles - will be asked to wear a mask.
- Visitors can remove their masks in a private room if the patient is not at risk of H1N1/swine flu.
- Please do not visit Legacy patients if you have any flu symptoms
If you have questions about these changes, please check with the unit manager in the hospital you want to visit. We'll relax these changes after the threat of swine flu decreases, probably in early 2010.
We are in the process of posting signs about these changes at major entrances to our hospitals and our patient care areas. We truly appreciate your understanding of the importance of these measures. Thank you.
(For more flu information, please see our summary page about seasonal flu and H1N1 virus.)
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