Jersey Shore Medical Center Curtails Visitors Amid Flu Epidemic

NEPTUNE, NJ — Amid the continuing flu epidemic, Jersey Shore University Medical Center has instituted restrictions on hospital visitors, including barring children under the age of 12 from visiting patients.

Donna Sellman, a spokeswoman for the Neptune hospital, said the restrictions are in place as the hospital continues to see a significant number of patients with the flu. There were 451 cases seen at the hospital in January 2018, more than double the 189 cases seen in January 2017, she said. Of the 451, there have been 80 flu patients hospitalized, Sellman said. In January 2017, there were 32 patients hospitalized because of the flu.

The age restriction at Jersey Shore, and at other hospitals in the Hackensack Meridian network, including Ocean Medical Center in Brick, allows nursing supervisors to make allowances for younger children under special circumstances.

"We understand that this may cause some difficulty for you and your family. Our first priority is to ensure the safest possible environment for our patients and visitors," a document on the Jersey Shore Medical Center website said. "Frequently, children are contagious before they begin showing signs of illness and are highly susceptible. Allowing this age group to visit could potentially be putting patients, visitors and children at risk."

That is especially true in the case of pregnant women and newborns, the document said, who are at high risk for contracting the flu and for complications.

For families who have a loved one who's near death, and for other situations, efforts will be made to work something out, the hospital document said, but they should be discussed before you show up at the hospital.

Just because a child has had a flu shot doesn't mean they're not at risk for getting it or spreading it to others, the document said.

The hospital issued these reminders for those planning to visit someone in the hospital:

All healthy visitors please:

• Clean your hands after arriving and before leaving.
• Always cover your cough.
• Use a tissue or your sleeve when you cough or sneeze.
• Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing.

If you are ill, if you have a fever, do not visit. If you are ill and must visit, please ask for a mask.

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