Alliance hospital alters visiting policy

ALLIANCE — Alliance Community Hospital is asking people who have any flulike symptoms or who have traveled outside of the United States within the past seven days to not visit the hospital, effective immediately.

Hospital officials said they are taking these precautionary steps to “ensure the safety and well-being of our patients, staff and visitors” in light of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s declaring the swine flu outbreak a public health alert. Also, staff members suffering from a fever and/or upper respiratory symptoms must report off and remain at home until their symptoms disappear.

In the emergency department, patients with symptoms of high fever and/or respiratory illness or distress will be given masks to wear, and people under the age of 14 are prohibited from visiting the emergency department.