October 26, 2009

H1N1 Activity Prompts Mercy Grayling to Restrict Visitation
Effective Tuesday, Oct 27 Mercy Hospital, Mercy Manor and outpatient clinics move to limit the age of visitors.

Due to the heightened level of H1N1 influenza activity in the region, Mercy Hospital Grayling is temporarily restricting its visitor policy for the safety of its patients and staff. These temporary restrictions apply to visitors - not patients. Mercy Hospital Grayling is committed to serving the needs of those seeking medical treatment.

Visitors 18 years old and younger will not be allowed in the hospital, Mercy Manor or outpatient clinics until further notice. We ask parents, if possible, to leave children home when visiting the hospital or Mercy Manor. Anyone with cold or flu symptoms also may not visit patients and visitors to the OB unit are being restricted to the parent or grandparents of newborns.

Mercy Hospital Grayling is being proactive in protecting its patients and visitors. Managing the amount of visitors will help limit the spread of the virus, as well as limit the admission of additional infection into the hospital. This visitation policy will continue to be evaluated on an ongoing basis.

Flu Facts- Symptoms and Treatment

The following information is based on current recommendations from the CDC.
* Seasonal and H1N1 (swine) flu both typically begin with a fever (often high), headache, muscle pain, cough, runny nose, chills, and sore throat. Sometimes children may have an upset stomach and diarrhea. The cough may last two to seven days.

* Persons who are sick should stay home until their fever has been gone for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication. They can also take medications to relieve flu symptoms (but never give aspirin to ill children or teenagers without first speaking with a doctor). It is not necessary to go to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care for typical flu symptoms.

* Persons who have severe illness or are at high risk for flu complications should contact their health care provider or seek medical care. This includes pregnant women, young people under 24 years old, and people of any age with chronic medical conditions.

Emergency warning signs that require urgent medical attention include:

In children:
* Fast breathing or troubled breathing
* Bluish or gray skin color
* Not drinking enough fluids
* Severe or persistent vomiting
* Not waking up or not interacting
* Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
* Flu symptoms improve but then return with fever and a cough

In adults:
* Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
* Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
* Sudden dizziness
* Confusion
* Severe or persistent vomiting
* Flu-like symptoms improve then return with fever and a cough

Vaccination is the best prevention against both seasonal and H1N1 flu. It is also important for people to wash their hands often, use cough etiquette, and avoid people who are sick.

For questions or concerns about flu symptoms, please contact your physician. For more information on the seasonal flu and swine flu, contact your local health department or visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) at cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.

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About Mercy Hospital Grayling
Mercy Hospital Grayling is a 49 bed acute-care hospital serving north central Michigan that also includes a separate 40-bed skilled nursing facility, an extensive ambulatory (outpatient) facility and a medical staff of nearly 100 providers. Mercy Hospital Grayling's annual benefit to the surrounding community is more than $5.5 million.

Contact:  Contact Carrie Gray
Director of Marketing and Communications
(989) 348-0594 or
(800) 379-7108 page
cgray4@trinity-health.org email