U-M, St. Joseph Mercy hospitals limiting visitors during flu season

University of Michigan and St. Joseph Mercy Health System hospitals today announced new rules for visitors to the hospitals during flu season.

The rules prohibit visitors under 16 except in certain certain circumstances and with the approval of a patient's health-care team. In a press release, the hospitals said children under 16 are most susceptible to H1N1, or swine flu, and have a high rate of illness. Similar rule changes have been adopted at other Michigan hospitals.

The rules also prohibit anyone exhibiting flu symptoms from visiting the hospitals for any reason except to seek treatment and limit the number of visitors in any patients room at one time to two.

Read the complete list of rule changes on the U-M Health System Web site.