H1N1 Information

Mount Carmel is working closely with government agencies and other local health care systems to protect the health of our community. For the latest information about H1N1, visit the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Columbus Public Health websites, where information is posted daily about the H1N1 virus, including new developments, guidelines for staying well and vaccination information.

Visitor Restrictions

Given the continuing spread of the H1N1 virus, Mount Carmel is taking steps to protect our patients, their families and staff by temporarily limiting visitation in our hospitals and clinics. This policy applies to Mount Carmel East, Mount Carmel West, Mount Carmel St. Ann’s and Mount Carmel New Albany and all clinics. These temporary restrictions apply to visitors – not patients. Mount Carmel is committed to serving the needs of those seeking medical treatment. Those who have flu symptoms that are in need of medical treatment will be asked to wear a mask during their evaluation and treatment. Hand hygiene and washing is strongly encouraged.

Temporary visitation restrictions include:

Visitors who have any flu symptoms or have been diagnosed with the flu within the past seven days may not visit.

Flu symptoms include fever with a cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, headache, fatigue, body aches, vomiting and/or diarrhea.
If a visitor has any of these symptoms, he/she will be asked to leave.

Visitors under the age of 13 are not permitted in any part of the hospital, including the Emergency Department and clinic.
Children between ages 13 and 18 may only visit the hospital if they are part of a patient’s immediate family (e.g., sibling, child or grandchild) and only if they do not have any symptoms of flu and have not had flu within the last 7 days.
Only parents and grandparents may visit patients in the Special Care Nursery and all Intensive Care Units, because patients in these units have impaired immune systems.
Only two visitors should be in a patient room at one time.

Under special circumstances, a nurse manager or charge nurse for the unit may make an exception to these restrictions. Anyone who has flu symptoms and is visiting as an exception to these restrictions must wear a mask and observe our hand hygiene requirements. Please talk to a nurse manager or charge nurse about cultural and religion sensitivities. We will take these into consideration, but must give priority to protecting the health of our patients, their families and staff.