To protect the health of patients, their loved ones and the medical staff, at 7 a.m. Friday, Feb. 24, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center will implement temporary visitor restrictions that will remain in effect through the remainder of the flu season.
Effective tomorrow morning, children age 12 and under may not visit patients. Exceptions for extreme family circumstances may be allowed, but parents or guardians are asked to get permission from the patient’s nurse to allow children to visit.
Only healthy adult visitors and healthy family members age 13 and older are permitted to visit patients. All visitors and family members should be healthy – free from fever, cough, colds, or stomach virus symptoms – in order to visit patients.
The restrictions apply to all Wake Forest Baptist inpatient locations including Lexington, Davie County and Winston-Salem.
The temporary restrictions are in place because the number of influenza cases has significantly increased in our area. Visitor restrictions can help control the spread of the virus.
The Medical Center continues to monitor the influenza rates daily, and will take appropriate steps to restrict visitors further, if needed, or lift the restrictions when the flu cases decrease.
The decision to enact temporary visitor restrictions is a synchronized effort among four regional health systems: Carolinas Healthcare System, Cone Health, Novant Health and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. These health systems will enact visitor restrictions at the same time because they share the same geographic area and have similar rates of influenza in the community.
Media Relations
Mac Ingraham: mingraha@wakehealth.edu, 336-716-3487
Joe McCloskey: jmcclosk@wakehealth.edu, 336-716-1273