CEO Blog - How to be a good visitor during flu season

Keeping your loved ones healthy during their hospital stay is our priority, but you can also play a role if you are planning to visit the hospital.

If you’re visiting a friend or family member or if you’re coming in for an outpatient test or procedure, it’s important to follow basic infection prevention principles – especially during flu season.

The flu is a serious respiratory disease caused by influenza viruses. It is spread by direct contact, like touching someone, and by small droplets we expel when we breathe, talk, sneeze or cough.

First and foremost, get your flu shot from your family doctor or at a local pharmacy. The best defense against the flu is getting vaccinated every year. Everyone older than six months should get a flu vaccine, and especially those who are at a higher risk of getting sick when they’re exposed to illness. Those at higher risk include people over 65 years, pregnant women, people with chronic medical conditions like asthma and diabetes, and those with compromised immune systems because of illnesses like HIV, hepatitis, and cancer. Read more…