Effective Tuesday, April 18 at 7 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 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 visitor restrictions, which affected children age 12 and under, have been in place since Feb. 24 to help control the spread of flu.
The influenza virus continues to circulate in the Triad region, but at lower rates. Before deciding to lift restrictions, infection prevention teams from Wake Forest Baptist and three regional health systems – Carolinas Healthcare System, Cone Health and Novant Health – coordinated to make sure there were similar downward trends in flu cases to warrant lifting restrictions at all hospitals. High Point Regional Health System and Randolph Health also participated in this collaborative decision to lift restrictions.
These health systems rescinded visitor restrictions at the same time the same way they enacted them nearly two months ago because they share the same geographic area and have similar rates of influenza in the community.
The spread of influenza can be decreased 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
Joe McCloskey: jmcclosk@wakehealth.edu, 336-716-1273