Anne Arundel Medical Center announces flu precautions

Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) is currently experiencing a high volume of patients with influenza (flu). The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reports an increase in flu cases statewide.

In order to reduce the spread of flu, AAMC is limiting hospital visitors in the following ways:

  • People under age 12 should not visit.
  • People experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms should not visit.

AAMC’s Clatanoff Pavilion will allow siblings to visit after the birth of a new child, but parents must be sure siblings are not ill.

Flu Symptoms

You may have the flu if you have some or all of these symptoms:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Body aches and chills
  • Headache
  • Fatigue

Fighting the Flu

  • Stay home and get plenty of rest.
  • Drink clear fluids to keep from getting dehydrated.
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes to prevent spreading flu to others.

Most people with the flu do not need medical care or antiviral drugs. If you get sick with flu symptoms, in most cases, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people.

If, however, you have symptoms of flu and are in a high-risk group, contact your health care provider. Certain people are at high risk of serious flu-related complications including young children, people 65 and older, pregnant women and people with certain medical conditions.

The emergency room should be used for people who are very sick. You should not go to the emergency room if you are only mildly ill. If you go to the emergency room and you are not sick with the flu, you may catch it from people who do have it.

If you have the emergency warning signs of flu sickness, you should go to the emergency room.

Emergency warning signs in children:

  •                  Fast breathing or trouble breathing
  •                  Bluish skin color
  •                  Not drinking enough fluids
  •                  Not waking up or not interacting
  •                  Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
  •                  Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
  •                  Fever with a rash

Emergency warning in adults:

  •                  Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  •                  Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
  •                  Sudden dizziness
  •                  Confusion
  •                  Severe or persistent vomiting

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