Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH) is implementing changes to its visitor policy citing a rise in cases of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in the paediatrics unit.
Effective immediately, modified visitation policies are in place for both the Paediatric Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at WRH.
Chief of Paediatrics Dr. Sajit Augustine says the changes were necessary due to an uptick of RSV cases in the community.
"What typically happens is when anyone who is sick, or doesn't know they are sick with the RSV infection, when they come into the hospital they are very likely to spread it to patients who are in the hospital, and these patients tend to be the most vulnerable, especially the paediatric patients and the babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit."
He says some of the changes are to keep babies in the NICU, are pre-mature and have a weak immune system, safe.
"Parents are allowed to visit anytime, 24/7, it's just the visitors are restricted to certain hours, and siblings who are below the age of 16 are not allowed because they are at higher risk of transmission."
Dr. Augustine says the hospital is encouraging visitors to wear a mask.
"As we all know this is spread by droplets, through air, and certainly encourage all visitors regardless if they have the infection or not to wash their hands as they enter, but again wearing would mitigate the risk of infection to a certain degree, but will not completely negate it."
The new restrictions include:
Paediatrics unit:
NICU:
More information can be found here: https://wrh.on.ca/VisitingHours.
-With files from AM800's The Shift with guest host Kyle Horner