Influenza Concerns Restrict Visitor Access At Lawrence & Memorial Hospital

Lawrence & Memorial Hospital is temporarily restricting patient visitations due to a "sharp rise" in influenza infections in New London County, it was announced Wednesday.

Precautionary measures will immediately go into effect at the hospital's main campus in New London as well as outpatient facilities in the region. Visitors will be limited to immediate family or designated caregivers. People with fever, cough, or other flu-like symptoms should not visit patients.

Visitors are being limited to two at a time, and children under the age of 18 will not be allowed except in special circumstances or with permission from healthcare providers. Anyone visiting the hospital should also use wash their hands or use available hand hygiene dispensers when entering or leaving the hospital facilities.

“Our focus is on patient safety,” Dr. Joseph Gadbaw, chairman of the department of medicine, said in a statement. “These restrictions are part of our infection prevention plan to prevent the spread of influenza at L&M.”

The restrictions will be reviewed based on the level of infections in the areas served by L&M.

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