Hospitals coping with sick employees

HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) - Hospitals can be a breeding ground for the flu and with a growing number of cases, local health care facilities are dealing with both sick patients and staff members.

Hospitals like Baystate and Holyoke Medical Center are changing their policies.

James Keefe, the Vice President of Patient Services at Holyoke Medical Center, said, “If you don't need to be here at the hospital you really should stay away and if you're ill and you need a doctor, but you shouldn't be coming in here as a visitor."

While visitors are being asked to keep away, staff members are surrounded by the illness every day and they're being affected as well.

Keefe explained, “If they feel like they're coming down with symptoms of the flu, we offer them employee services to evaluate if they are coming down with the flu and then we monitor them closely to make sure they don't return to work until they are well enough." 

Holyoke Medical Center checks staffing levels three times a day to make sure that with sick calls and an increase in patients, each department has enough staff.

So far they've managed.

The hospital encourages everyone to be vigilant with constant hand sanitizing and of course the flu shot.

This year's flu shot is about 60% effective in preventing the current strain and takes about two weeks to be effective.

Even if you get the flu after getting the shot, the illness is typically less severe.