High Point Regional latest hospital to ban young visitors

HIGH POINT — High Point Regional Hospital is following the lead of most other area hospitals and has banned visitors younger than 18.

The restriction starts today and means that anyone younger than 18 will not be allowed to visit patients, including siblings, friends and family members and will not be allowed in lobbies, waiting areas and patient rooms.

The ban does not apply to children who need medical care.

All visitors to High Point Regional are required to sanitize their hands before entering the facility.

Like other area hospitals that have put similar restrictions in place, High Point Regional is trying to restrict the spread of the H1N1 virus.

Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro and Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem also restrict visitors younger than 18 in all areas of their facilities.

http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/10/08/article/high_point_regional_bans_under_18_visitors

School age children are the largest reservoir of antibiotic-resistant URIs. Those who are already sick don't need the extra burden of another illness.