Effective Thursday, Feb. 5 at 8 a.m., temporary visitor restrictions in place at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Wake Forest Baptist Health-Lexington Medical Center and Wake Forest Baptist Health-Davie Medical Center will be lifted.
As part of our commitment to patient-and family-centered care, we know how important it is for all family members to be able to visit loved ones in the hospital. That’s why we lift visitor restrictions as soon as possible when we see the number of flu cases consistently decrease.
The restrictions, which affected visitors under the age of 18, have been in place since Dec. 30 to help control the spread of the virus.
The H3N2 influenza strain continues to circulate in the Triad region, but at lower rates. Before deciding to lift restrictions, infection prevention teams from the Medical Center and three other Triad health systems coordinated to make sure there were similar downward trends in flu cases to warrant lifting restrictions at all hospitals.
The Medical Center continues to monitor the influenza rates daily and will take appropriate steps to re-implement visitor restrictions if needed.
The spread of influenza can be prevented by practicing good hand hygiene and refraining from going to school or work if experiencing fever.
As always, any visitors and family members coming to Wake Forest Baptist should be healthy – free from fever, cough, colds, or stomach virus symptoms – when visiting patients.
Media Relations
Mac Ingraham: mingraha@wakehealth.edu, 336-716-3487
Shannon Putnam: news@wakehealth.edu, 336-713-4587