Stay safe this sick season: Ways you can help prevent the spread of illness

As respiratory illnesses rise, Atrium Health Navicent is urging everyone to take steps to protect themselves and those around them. Simple actions like practicing good hygiene, staying up to date on vaccinations, and staying home when sick, can help keep individuals, families and communities safer this sick season.

Health experts strongly recommend the best ways to help keep more people healthy and limit the spread of illness include:

For those needing non-emergency care, Atrium Health Navicent offers several options, including:

Members of the community can easily find care options by visiting navicenthealth.org.

“When we each take these steps — like staying home when sick, getting vaccinated and practicing good respiratory etiquette — we help protect not only ourselves but also our families, neighbors, and the most vulnerable members of our community,” says Dr. Katie Passaretti, VP, chief infection prevention officer for Advocate Health, of which Atrium Health Navicent is a part. “Together, these simple actions make a meaningful difference in reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses this season.”

In addition to recommending ways to prevent illness and get needed care, Atrium Health Navicent is implementing temporary visitor restrictions in acute care hospitals, emergency departments, rehabilitation units and facilities, behavioral health, inpatient hospice, infusion centers and certain cancer areas effective Wednesday, Dec. 10.

These restrictions are in response to a sustained increase in respiratory viruses in the community and designed to protect vulnerable patients. The restrictions include: ·

Other exceptions to visitor restrictions may be made in special cases if the child is symptom-free and receives approval from the clinical team.

“To help keep adult, newborn and pediatric patients and our health care workers healthy, we ask that anyone who is feeling sick stay home and do not visit,” Passaretti says. “This helps protect all our patients during a time when more people tend to get sick.”

While Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin’s skilled nursing facility will not have any age-related visitation restrictions, visitors will be asked to wear masks when in areas where direct patient care is provided and in waiting areas.

Atrium Health Navicent thanks community members and visitors for their cooperation and for helping make health care environments safer for all.

It is important to note that some hospitals and care locations may have additional restrictions on visitors in certain areas and restrictions are subject to change without notice. Please read and follow signage posted on-site and follow any directions provided by staff members at the health care site.