Since September, all major hospitals in Region G have restricted visits by children to hospitalized patients. The reason for this is that people infected by H1N1 don’t develop symptoms of their infection until about three days after the virus enters their body. They are capable of spreading the virus for 24-48 hours before the first cough or fever appears.  Some people may have only cough and sore throat and never develop fever. Children and young adults are by far the most likely to become infected with H1N1 virus.

Spread of H1N1 can happen anywhere: in schools, in shopping malls, on buses, within families. Most people who develop infection by H1N1 experience a 3-5 day illness, but the vast majority recover fully. However, people with underlying medical problems are at higher risk for dying from H1N1. About two third of the deaths from H1N1 in US children, for instance, have been in children with major underlying problems such as cerebral palsy.

Patients who have been admitted to a hospital are by definition at ”high risk” for complications if they develop flu. The visitation policies in place at all area hospitals are designed to protect these vulnerable patients by minimizing their contact with the people most likely to harbor the virus.

Local hospitals and public health authorities will continue to monitor for H1N1. Once it appears that H1N1 has largely left our community, these visitation policies may be relaxed.

Addendum, Dec 4 2009  H1N1 activity is clearly on the decline throughout Georgia and the US. As a result, some area hospitals this week have begun to relax their policies restricting visits by children  to hospitalized patients. Please check with individual hospitals to determine their current policy.