In an effort to keep our patients, visitors and employees safe from the flu, Northern Hospital of Surry County is making the following recommendations:

• If you have a cough, sore throat and/or a fever of 100 degrees or higher (flu-like symptoms), please do not come to the hospital to visit residents in the Skilled Nursing Facility or patients in the hospital. • If you have flu-like symptoms, remain at home at least 24 hours after you are fever free. • Once you are symptom-free for 24 hours, you may return to normal activities. • If you have a cough, but have no other symptoms, masks are available. Please ask for one. • Seasonal flu vaccinations are now available and you are encouraged to get your vaccination now. H1N1 vaccinations are to be available later this fall and it is highly recommended that you receive this vaccination as well. • Continue to practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands or using hand sanitizer after coughing or sneezing, after touching surfaces in public areas, and before eating or handling food.

Because of the continuing increase in the number of cases of the H1N1 being confirmed, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has advised hospitals to only test patients for the H1N1 virus if they have been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). For this reason, patients seen in the Emergency Department for influenza-like symptoms may not be tested, even though the physician may diagnose probable H1N1 influenza based on the clinical presentation.

For questions regarding the H1N1 virus, you many contact Surry County Health and Nutrition Center at (336) 401-8400 or check their website at www.surry.com. You may also check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.