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| Royal Berkshire Hospital | Plea to visitors: diarrhoea and vomiting in the community
Date:- 04/01/2008 |
A diarrhoea and vomiting virus (norovirus) is affecting all parts of the country - including the community here in Berkshire. The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is therefore stressing that to protect others, it is important for people not to visit anyone in hospital until 48 hours after their own symptoms have ceased.
Nigel Davies, Chief Nurse, said, "This is something we ask of all visitors to the hospital, but it is often forgotten.
"We understand that this will be difficult and frustrating to people wanting to visit their friends and family, but it is essential to the health of our patients that visitors stick strictly to this requirement."
But the Trust is stressing that any temporary restrictions are a precaution and all regular hospital services are continuing as normal, including routine surgery. Anyone with an appointment should attend as normal.
Where there have been cases of vomiting or diarrhoea, bays are isolated and no patients are transferred to other units for as long as the infection control team advise.
Additional ways visitors can help reduce the spread of infection include routine hygiene rules that visitors should not sit on beds and should always wash their hands (with soap and water when diarrhoea is involved) and use the alcohol hand gel on entering and leaving a ward.
If a visitor has a particular difficulty with any of these rules they should speak to the senior nurse of the ward.
Anyone with symptoms should avoid contact with other people as far as possible and can seek advice from NHS Direct (0845 46 47).
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| Reference:-www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/news/plea-visitors-diarrhoea-vomiting-community.php |
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