Hospital restricts birthing center visitation amid rising RSV rates

Corey Murray, Hillsdale Daily News
·2 min read

HILLSDALE — Due to the increase in cases of highly transmissible illnesses in the community, including RSV, influenza and COVID-19, Hillsdale Hospital is limiting visitors to the Bediako Birthing Center, effective Dec. 1.

These respiratory illnesses can be fatal to infants. Visitor restrictions are essential to protecting one of our most vulnerable populations, keeping them safe and healthy.

Healthy grandparents and two support persons are permitted for laboring mothers.

Visitation guidelines:

  • Bediako Birthing Center visitors are restricted to two designated support persons and healthy grandparents only for the duration of the laboring mother’s stay (labor, delivery and post-partum).

  • Children, including siblings, are not permitted in the Birthing Center at this time.

These guidelines will be reviewed regularly, and restrictions will be lifted as soon as it is safe and appropriate to do so.

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency warned about a growing threat from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in youth on Oct. 31.

More:Health officials: Parents should watch for RSV in children this winter

"We're watching numbers because hospitals are getting full, especially of children," Dr. Karen Luparello, D.O., the medical director of the health agency stated at the time. "We certainly have RSV cases every year. It seems to be greater this year in metropolitan scenarios. However, I don't know that we've had any admitted children."

Individuals of all ages can get RSV. The most severe cases hit young children as well as elderly and immunocompromised individuals. For most, the virus presents like the common cold with a cough, congestion and/or fever.

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Although there is not yet a vaccine for RSV, there are vaccines for COVID-19 and the flu. Luparello and public health officials are urging the public to make sure they are up to date on the latest COVID-19 vaccination and this year's flu vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control reports that approximately 58,000 children are hospitalized each year with RSV and 100 to 300 of those die from the illness.

— Corey Murray is the Public Safety Reporter for The Hillsdale Daily News, Sturgis Journal and The Daily Reporter. Contact him by email at cmurray@hillsdale.net or follow him on Twitter: @cmurrayHDN.

This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Hospital restricts birthing center visitation amid rising RSV rates