RSV and Influenza Season Comes to an End at Sierra View Medical Center But Visitation Restrictions Still Remain for Children Under the Age of 13

Sierra View Medical Center (SVMC) has not seen recent cases for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) or Influenza, but due to the number of measles outbreaks throughout the U.S., including California, the hospital is taking all safety precaution to protect their patients and is keeping the same visitation restriction in place.

Children under the age of 13 will not be able to visit the patient care units at Sierra View Medical Center including the Distinct Part/Skilled Nursing Facility (DPSNF). Although measles has not been reported in Tulare County or the Central Valley, extending the visitation restriction will be in place until further notice.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the vaccine for everyone over a year old, except for people who had the disease as children. Those who have had measles are immune. Health officials repeatedly urge people who have not been exposed to measles to get vaccinated. For further information regarding vaccination, the point of contact should be a patient’s primary physician.

Although there have not been any reported cases of measles in Tulare County, knowing what the symptoms are and what to do is important. If you suspect that your child or family member has measles, please notify your primary physician immediately. The physician will give instruction and direction on what to do as it is extremely contagious. To protect others, do not take someone who may have the disease to the nearest Emergency Room or Urgent Care where many people may be exposed. Measles starts with a mild to moderate fever, cough, sore throat, and conjunctivitis. Following is the onset of a rash. The rash typically starts at the hairline, and then the face, and spreads rapidly down the body. Two or three days after symptoms begin, tiny blue/white spots on the bright red background of the inside of the mouth may be present.

As a family-centered hospital, Sierra View Medical Center is again taking necessary precautions to ensure the safety and well-being of visitors, such as young children, as well as the health of patients and community members.