The flu in Illinois has really taken off this winter season and state health officials have placed a new mandate on hospitals and doctors' offices.

With widespread flu hitting just about every community hard, there are temporary hospital visitor restrictions. Jami Windhorn is the Infection Control Nurse at the Dr. John Warner Hospital, she explains patients who are exhibiting flu-like symptoms including fever, chills, and achy muscles among many others will now be required to wear masks when they walk into the Rural Health Center.

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With the widespread flu right now, it is very difficult for people out and about to not come into contact with someone who has the flu or is recovering from the flu. Windhorn says the most important step to take to not contract the flu is to wash your hands very frequently.

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Windhorn says this time of year is early for flu season and the Illinois Department of Health(IDPH) and the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is calling this almost an epidemic.

The Dr. John Warner Hospital is just one of many hospitals around the area to implement these changes. The DJWH will determine when it is acceptable to lift the restrictions for patients coming into the hospital.

During times of increased incidence of influenza-like illness in the community, the IDPH has recommended the implementation of temporary visitor restriction policies in hospitals, which will now include the DJWH, and these restrictions include not allowing visitation by persons under 18 years of age, limiting the number of visitors to two per patient at any one time, and promoting compliance with respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette.