Hospitals in Marion County, including Eskenazi Health, are lifting temporary visitor restrictions and resuming standard visitor policies as influenza activity declines.

At Eskenazi Health, visiting hours will continue to be from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. with two allowed at the bedside at a time. For the safety of patients and staff, only immediate family members and significant others ages 18 and above will be able to visit patients at this time. People experiencing flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, muscle aches or sore throat are also asked not to visit patients in the Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital.

The temporary visitor restrictions began in early December at the recommendation of Marion County Public Health Department Director Virginia A. Caine, M.D., to protect patients, hospital staff and other visitors during a time of high flu activity as well as RSV, a respiratory illness that can be serious in infants and older adults.
Individual hospitals may have specialty areas that limit visitors as part of their normal visitor policy, so people should check ahead before visiting a patient at a specific facility.

Even with the drop in flu activity, Dr. Caine says it is important for anyone with the flu or flu-like symptoms, or who is not feeling well in any way, to avoid visiting a patient in the hospital. She urges staying home until symptoms are resolved.

Dr. Caine also urges everyone to protect themselves and others from the flu and other viruses by washing hands frequently with soap and water and covering coughs and sneezes.