(Anderson, S.C. – December 31, 2025) – AnMed is temporarily limiting visitation to the health system’s hospitalized patients to up to two people at a time. Visits by children younger than 14 years of age, typically coordinated with nurses' help according to standard policy, are temporarily restricted.
AnMed was able to avoid implementing restrictions while other hospitals in the region took that step earlier this week, but confirmed inpatient influenza cases grew from an average of five before Christmas to 25 on December 30.
South Carolina is one of five states in the nation reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to have the highest level of flu activity, joining New York, New Jersey, Louisiana and Colorado. For more information, visit gis.cdc.gov/grasp/fluview/main.html.
AnMed’s infection-control experts are closely monitoring the situation and its impacts on the health system and the Upstate community.
Rules and recommendations instituted until further notice:
- Please do not visit hospitalized loved ones or accompany anyone to a doctor’s office or an outpatient procedure if you feel sick or have any symptoms of a respiratory illness, including coughing, sneezing, runny nose, sore throat, chills or fever.
- Please limit visits to hospitalized patients to two people at a time. As is standard policy, visits by children younger than 14 years of age should be coordinated with the patient’s registered nurse and the patient or patient’s designated representative.
- Please understand that this temporary step helps safeguard the health system’s patients and the broader community.
Other steps that can help protect loved ones and community members:
- Get vaccinated. The CDC recommends everyone 6 months of age and older get vaccinated for the flu. Vaccines can increase your chances of remaining healthy and avoiding spreading sickness to others.
- Stay home if you’re sick. If you require medical attention, get it. Wear a mask and keep a distance of at least six feet from others to slow the spread of illness if you must leave your home to seek care, but otherwise avoid contact with people, and stay home for 24 hours after your fever has subsided without the aid of medicine.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, and throw away the tissue when you’re done. Use your sleeve or elbow if you don’t have a tissue. Then wash or sanitize your hands after each cough or sneeze.
- Wash your hands frequently. Wash with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if you don’t have soap and water. Wash your hands before touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
A recent CDC study found that an average of about 8% of the U.S. population gets sick from the flu each annual season. Anyone can get flu, and serious problems related to flu can happen at any age, but some people are at higher risk of developing serious flu-related complications if they get sick. This includes people 65 years old and older, people of any age with chronic medical conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart disease, pregnant women, and children younger than age 5.
Local residents who need care for suspected cases of the flu or other respiratory illnesses should contact their primary care provider or visit an AnMed Urgent Care location in Anderson or Clemson, where they can walk right in or schedule an appointment online at anmedurgentcare.com.
