INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Masks are returning as Marion County officials prepare to limit visitors at Indianapolis hospitals and other health facilities due to “increased activity of respiratory viruses.”

In a news release issued Friday, the Marion County Public Health Department did not provide specific details on an increased spread of “respiratory viruses such as flu and RSV.”

Temporary visitor restrictions will start sometime next week. No one under age 18 will be allowed to visit hospitals, and people with symptoms of illness — including sudden onset of fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat, and runny nose — will not be allowed to visit.

“Masks will be provided for guests by the facility,” the release issued Friday said.

Marion County health officials and Indianapolis hospitals implemented the same temporary restrictions in late December 2023.

The restrictions will be implemented at facilities of Community Health Network, Franciscan Health Indianapolis, Ascension St. Vincent, Indiana University Health, and Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital, the release says. Some facilities may have added restrictions.

IU Health says its restrictions will include hospitals outside Marion County: IU Health North in Carmel, IU Health Saxony in Fishers, and IU Health West in Avon.

IU Health also will have additional restrictions at Riley Hospital for Children in downtown Indianapolis:

• Only parents or legal guardians plus four designated adults identified by the parents or legal guardians will be allowed to visit and be on the patient units.
• In the maternity units, six designated visitors will be allowed. The designated visitors must remain the same throughout the inpatient hospital stay.
• Only two visitors at a time will be allowed in a patient room. Siblings and children younger than 18 years will not be permitted on the patient units.

The Marion County Public Health Department as of 4:30 p.m. Friday had not shared its plans on its Facebook page, only through a news release.

News release

INDIANAPOLIS – In response to increased activity of respiratory viruses such as flu and RSV, hospitals in Marion County will soon begin implementing temporary restrictions for visitors. Virginia A. Caine, M.D., director and chief medical officer of the Marion County Public Health Department, is making the request as part of the patient visitor policy of the Indianapolis Coalition for Patient Safety.

Hospitals in Marion County will begin implementing temporary visitor restrictions during the week of Dec. 16, 2024, that include:

No visitors with symptoms of illness such as sudden onset of fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat, and runny nose.
No visitors under the age of 18.
The restrictions are designed to help protect the most vulnerable patients from these viruses. As with any time of the year, a visitor who is not feeling well should stay home. Visitors should observe the standard practices of washing hands and covering coughs and sneezes when around others. Masks will be provided for guests by the facility.

Visitors should check with a hospital’s website or call the facility in advance to learn more about its specific restrictions, any exceptions, and when visitor restrictions will begin at that hospital. Special arrangements can be made with each facility to allow additional visitors or younger visitors based on circumstances, such as end of life.

Marion County hospitals participating in the temporary visitor restrictions include those within Community Health Network, Franciscan Health Indianapolis, Ascension St. Vincent, Indiana University Health, and Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital.

Vaccines are currently available for flu, RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus) and COVID-19. Dr. Caine and medical staff with the health systems in Marion County strongly urge vaccination for all who are eligible, but especially for people at higher risk of serious complications from illness.

“Protecting our health, and the health of loved ones, is important during this time of year, especially the very young and those over age 65,” said Dr. Caine. “Flu can cause significant illness and, in some cases, lead to extended hospitalizations or death. RSV can also result in hospitalization and even death for infants and those over age 60.”

RSV vaccine is recommended for pregnant women and for adults ages 60 and older. Like the flu vaccine, updated COVID-19 vaccine is available and recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older.

Individuals should talk with their medical provider about these vaccines and which ones are recommended for them based on age and other factors.

The Indianapolis Coalition for Patient Safety is comprised of chief executive, medical, nursing, quality, safety, and pharmacy officers from six Indianapolis health systems. In addition, there is participation by the Indiana Hospital Association, Indiana Department of Health, and the Marion County Public Health Department. The coalition is a non-profit public charity organization.

Marion County Public Health Department on Dec. 13, 2024