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Eastern panhandle hospitals change visiting policy because of flu

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Visiting restrictions have been implemented at two eastern panhandle hospitals because of the flu.

University Healthcare announced Thursday the restrictions would begin immediately at Berkeley Medical Center in Martinsburg and Jefferson Medical Center in Ranson.

“It’s for the safety and well-being of our patients as well as our staff. Certainly we want our staff healthy so they can care for our patients,” University Healthcare Marketing Director Teresa McCabe said.

The flu is widespread in West Virginia. McCabe said Thursday the Berkeley Medical Center’s ER has been very busy.

“About a-third of the patients that they’re seeing on a daily basis, which equates to about 50 patients a day, they are seeing with flu-like symptoms or actually have the flu,” McCabe said.

The restricted visitor policy allows one visitor, if he or she doesn’t have to flu, to stay all day with a patient. Two visitors for patients will only be allowed between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

“That includes two guests per visitor and that includes the one guest that is allowed to stay with the visitor at all times,” McCabe said.

Camden Clark Hospital in Parkersburg put a similar policy into place last week. McCabe said University Healthcare’s doctors are continuing to monitor the situation and the restrictions would be lifted once things improves, but it may be a while.

“We hope that things do get better but our specialists are saying over the next several weeks it’s going to get worse,” McCabe said.





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