In view of the steady rise of influenza cases in South Carolina, Prisma Health has declared temporary visitation restrictions at its statewide hospitals. Starting from December 30, visitors aged 15 and under will not be permitted access to visit hospitalized patients at Prisma’s premises.
Taking into account the geographical influence, Prisma maintains a significant health presence, operating 18 hospitals within the Upstate and Midlands regions of South Carolina. The implementation of these temporary measures, according to a news release issued on December 26, principally aims to safeguard both patients and healthcare workers during this phase of heightened flu infection rates. More than that, the added restrictions on visitors target the prevention of measles exposure to susceptible patients.
A disturbing surge of measles cases, totalling 156 since early October, has beset Spartanburg County. Meanwhile, attempts to reach Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System and AnMed for inquiries regarding possible similar constraints at their hospitals have been unsuccessful. Emphasizing Prisma Health’s patient-centered ethos, Jacie Volkman, the executive director of Prisma’s Department of Infection Prevention, stated that while they recognize and value the crucial role of visitors in patient recovery, the need of the hour dictates their adherence to a stricter visitation policy. Volkman reassured that normal visitation guidelines will be reinstated once they witness a decrease in community illness levels.
However, she also highlighted that in certain extraordinary circumstances, such as end-of-life visits, discretion may be applied. As part of a media briefing concerning the measles outbreak on December 23, Linda Bell, the leading epidemiologist at South Carolina Department of Public Health, underlined the importance of getting flu vaccinations. In line with this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) divulged in the same news release that the flu epidemic has claimed at least 4.6 million victims nationwide, and led to 1,900 American deaths this year.