Updates

Updated Visitor Information During Flu Season

Effective December 21, 2009, we have lifted our visitor age restrictions; however, visitors will be screened for illness, and anyone who is exhibiting flu-like symptoms may be asked to postpone their visit. Learn more about our visitor hours and guidelines at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Current Influenza Information

The medical community is constantly learning more about the 2009 H1N1 flu. Please know that these recommendations will evolve as we monitor emerging developments locally and around the world. Check back here for current information.

About Influenza

Influenza is commonly known as "the flu." Every year, there are a number of different influenza viruses circulating the world and causing flu-like symptoms in people who become infected. This year, two main strains of the flu are currently going around. They are seasonal flu and the new 2009 H1N1 flu, which was initially called "swine flu."

In a typical year, the seasonal flu affects between 5 and 20 percent of the population in the United States, and approximately 36,000 people die from complications of the flu. Most cases of the seasonal flu occur between late fall and early spring. This year, however, in addition to those who will get the seasonal flu, experts are predicting that as many as half of the population of the United States could get the H1N1 strain of the flu. The H1N1 virus seems to be circulating throughout the year.

On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that a global pandemic of H1N1 flu is underway. (This action was a reflection of the spread of the virus, not the severity of illness that has been caused by the virus, which seems to cause mild illness in people who are otherwise healthy). A pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which there is little or no immunity in the human population. When this happens, the virus can cause more serious illness and can spread easily from person-to-person, thus affecting many more people than the typical seasonal flu does. 

Flu Self-Screening Questionnaires

If you think you might have the flu, or you think you've been exposed to someone who does, you may want to take our self-screening tests.

Information for Healthcare Professionals

As experts learn more about the new 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, recommendations change. These resources are updated regularly so that our healthcare providers and patients will always have access to the most up-to-date information.