Visitor restrictions in place at Abrazo hospitals in Arizona over flu concerns

PHOENIX — Another Arizona-based health care company has implemented visitor restrictions in an effort to prevent the flu from spreading among patients.

The restrictions at Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital, Abrazo Arrowhead Campus, Abrazo Central Campus, Abrazo Scottsdale Campus and Abrazo West Campus went into effect Thursday.

While healthy adults will be able to visit patients, no one under the age of 12 will be allowed in the care areas of the hospitals, according to Abrazo Director of Infection Prevention Wendy Oliva.

“Healthy adult means those not experiencing any flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache or tiredness, for example,” said Oliva.

Siblings will be restricted to post-partum and will not be able to enter the nursery or the NICU. Anyone who enters the emergency department with flu or cold symptoms will have to wear a mask.

These types of restrictions are common at hospitals during flu season, according to KTAR News 92.3 FM medical expert Dr. Terry Simpson.

Visitors and patients at the Abrazo facilities were also asked to prevent the spread of the flu by using hand sanitizer and face masks and covering their coughs and sneezes.

According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, there have been 3,216 confirmed flu cases as of Dec. 29. This time last year that number was at 10,895.

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