Senior Education Program Cancelled to Prevent Spread of Illness

Senior Education Program Cancelled to Prevent Spread of Illnesses

Grinnell Regional Medical Center announces that the Monday, January 14, Senior Education Program, held at the Drake Community Library,  will be cancelled in a full-spectrum effort to protect the community from multiple widespread viruses.

GRMC is following public health recommendations to limit exposure of individuals to the viruses that are in the community.

“We feel this is in the best interest of our healthy residents to limit opportunities for exposure to these viruses. As with many illnesses, individuals can be highly contagious just prior to showing symptoms. Therefore, we want to prevent people from spreading the illness when it could be most contagious yet they may not know it,” says Suzanne Cooner, GRMC vice-president.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the influenza outbreak in 2013 could be the worst in 10 years, and that seems to bearing true locally. Influenza-associated hospitalizations have significantly increased in the State of Iowa in the past week. Outpatient visits have increased as well.

GRMC has implemented visitor restrictions to help in the effort to protect patients from multiple widespread viruses. Individuals should take preventive measures to follow the 3Cs of disease prevent:

§  Cover your coughs and sneezes.

§  Clean your hands frequently.

§  Contain germs by staying home when ill.