By Monica Pryts
MERCER COUNTY — Local hospitals aren’t banning patients from having visitors, but precautions are in place to prevent spreading the flu.
Masks are available to anyone with flu-like symptoms visiting all Mercer County hospitals: Sharon Regional Health System; Grove City Medical Center, Pine Township; and UPMC Horizon in Farrell and Greenville and its Womancare Center, Hermitage.
Those locations also have hand sanitizer throughout the buildings, hospital spokesmen said Monday.
It’s a good idea for visitors to stay home if they display symptoms of any illness, said Erin Palko, public relations manager for Horizon.
Emergency room patients at Grove City Medical Center with flu symptoms are given masks and segregated in a separate waiting room, said Joanne Clobus, the hospital’s director of community relations.
At Sharon Regional, signs are posted at the emergency room and registration areas requesting patients tell staff if they have any flu-like symptoms, said Susan Gibson, vice president for patient care services.
The hospital also has brown bags that contain a mask, hand sanitizer and tissues for patients, she said.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health Web site, 26 cases of swine flu were confirmed in Mercer County as of Monday afternoon. That number is unchanged from Friday’s count.
