(Due to an increase in H1N1 flu activity in our community, PeaceHealth Oregon Region is making changes to its hospital visitor policy to ensure the safety of its inpatient population.

The revised policy is based on infection control practices and evidence-based medicine in the interest of protecting the public, hospital staff and medically at-risk populations from becoming ill with the H1N1 influenza virus.

As of Oct. 29, children 12 and under will not be allowed to visit Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend and University District, as well as Cottage Grove Community Hospital inpatient medical unit.

Note: The restriction does not apply to patients 12 and under who have come to the hospitals for medical care or for young patients coming to the clinic at South Lane Medical Group.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified members of the patient population that is cared for in PeaceHealth hospitals as being at higher risk of severe complications, including death, if exposed to the flu.

These include patients in labor/delivery, mother/baby post partum, neonatal intensive care, pediatrics, intensive care, oncology and infusion. Limiting the number of visitors — particularly children — is necessary to reduce the risk of illness for our patients.

Children are more likely to contract and spread the H1N1 virus.

Additional visitor restrictions also remain in place at Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in the following units: Labor & Delivery, Mother/Baby, Pediatrics and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Visitors to these units are restricted to two adult support people. No other visitors will be allowed to enter.

The patient's two support people must be healthy and not showing any symptoms of flu, which include a fever greater than 100 degrees plus one of the following: headache, body aches, cough, sore throat or nasal congestion.