Lehigh Valley Health Network is asking the community help keep patients, visitors and hospital staff healthy during this flu season.

Effective Jan. 21, the health network is implementing temporary restrictions for visitors. Visitors under age 18 are not permitted in the hospital.

Also, people with flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cough, sore throat, body aches are asked not to come to the hospital to visit patients.

Visitation restrictions apply to hospital inpatient areas only and do not affect outpatient, procedure, treatment, diagnostic or pharmacy locations.

Hospitals and long-term care facilities are being urged by public health agencies in the community to implement these visitor restrictions because of the widespread flu in the Lehigh Valley.

This is a temporary inconvenience but the cooperation of the community goes a long way in restricting the spread of disease and protecting patients and health care workers who must care for those patients.

This policy is in effect until further notice.