Banner Health implements temporary visitor restrictions as flu, RSV cases increase
PHOENIX - Flu season arrived early in the Phoenix area and because of it, there are some restrictions in place at Arizona's largest healthcare provider.
Banner Health says starting Nov. 14, there are some restrictions in place for visitors. One of the biggest takeaways is that visitors will be required to wear a mask.
Phoenix doctor, Dr. Andrew Carroll, says he already had his first flu patient.
"Well it seems like we got an early start to flu season," he said. "Usually we see our peak late December early January, so the fact that we're seeing it now, basically would be just people mingling once again."
His clinic is taking precautions to keep staff and patients safe.
"We have a lot of precautions in place now with masking of sick people, we do telehealth if you're having an acute respiratory illness, and we have filtration all through the office," Carroll said.
Banner Health is also requiring visitors to mask up as flu and RSV season picks up. It's restricting visitors under the age of 13, but siblings who do not have cold and/or flu symptoms may visit the pediatric unit.
No children are allowed to visit the NICU.
In a statement, Banner Health says this is necessary to prevent the spread of flu and other respiratory viruses within its hospitals.
"It seems like a lot of people are getting their flu shots this year, and so I'm hopeful that if a lot of people get their flu shots, it won't be as bad as it was in the past," Carroll said.
Banner Health is encouraging anyone over the age of six months to get their flu shot now before the flu season really ramps up and before the holidays.
MORE: What is RSV? US children's hospitals see rising number of cases
Below are ways to prevent getting the flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses.
- Flu vaccines help to reduce the burden of flu illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths on the healthcare system each year. (Read more about flu vaccine benefits.)
- This season, all flu vaccines will be designed to protect against the four flu viruses that research indicates will be most common. (Visit Vaccine Virus Selection for this season’s vaccine composition.)
- Everyone 6 months and older should get an annual flu vaccine, ideally by the end of October. Learn more about vaccine timing.
- Vaccination of people at higher risk of developing serious flu complications is especially important to decrease their risk of severe flu illness.
- People at higher risk of serious flu complications include young children, pregnant people, people with certain chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease, and people 65 years and older.
- Vaccination also is important for health care workers, and other people who live with or care for people at higher risk to keep from spreading flu to them. This is especially true for people who work in long-term care facilities, which are home to many of the people most vulnerable to flu.
- Children younger than 6 months are at higher risk of serious flu illness but are too young to be vaccinated. People who care for infants should be vaccinated instead.