To think people who are ill visiting someone in hospital are selfish?

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Multiple times when my granddad was in hospital with only 5% of his lungs working, he was made incredibly ill with gastroenteritis. We couldn't see him and he was eventually classed as an 'end of life patient' but he didn't give up the fight until 4 months after this. He was in and out of hospital for four years and always made ill by visitors.

So my hospital is closed essentially aside from maternity and A&E. I'm due any day and it's shut down due to norovirus.
I have an 11 month old and I know dcs dad Is bound to catch it when we go when I give birth.
I'm so worried my newborn will be ill with norovirus. Myself included cause I'm emetophobic and my dd.

If you're ill, don't visit people in hospital! 😖

Yep. Tis hard waiting for child/ self to be better tho when a parent is in hospital. Have to do it tho. Not fair otherwise.

It's just there's so many vulnerable people in that hospital. I remember serving a lady at work at Christmas and her husband was ready to be discharged so she wouldn't have to spend it alone as she was frightened by herself. He came down ever so ill after catching it and was stuck in until mid January. She almost made me cry. I nearly invited her to ours for Christmas. The Incubation period is 2 days after the last spout of being unwell. Not too long really :(

YANBU It's beyond selfish, it's irresponsible and stupid.

Children should be banned from hospitals for a start - not as patients obviously. Other countries have private rooms, NHS hospitals have wards, so unfortunately they are too much of a risk for all the patients. They really do not need to be there.

Some people are complete morons, they cannot comprehend that some patients in hospitals are in horrendous conditions and cannot afford to catch anything. Of course, there's always a risk, but if no one knowledgeably came as a visitor with bugs and germs, it would be a huge step forward.

Don't worry too much about your baby, I am sure he will be fine.

I think norovirus in hospitals is caused by people admitted to hospital with norovirus rather than visitors. Some people with norovirus will obviously need to be admitted to hospital for treatment, particularly if they have other health conditions. No reason why it would be in maternity unit. Would likely be all over a&e though!

Just worries me because of my phobia and then everyone in my household being unwell. I had gastroenteritis as a baby and my mom says I basically had to be hospitalised due to severe dehydration. I really worry that for my ds :(
I can see this being an incredibly stressful and frightening time if we are to become unwell.

Equally they can be incubating for up to 2 days before they know they're ill, you expect people to be psychic? Most of these type of illnesses are spread before the ILL people know they're ill, that can't be avoided.

YANBU. My dad is dying in hospital, and I couldn't visit for 2 weeks as was very unwell myself.
It was devastating for me, but needs must. I couldn't risk it to everyone.
Very hard, but had to not go.

Apparently it was caused by a visitor earlier this week. I apologise if I'm coming across as nasty, I'm just scared.

Yanbu. I'm a nurse and this pisses me right off! I genuinely think we should have bouncers on the doors of all hospitals to make sure people actually disinfect their hands before they come in ! Also it's shocking how many people let their babies crawl on hospital floors (and get offended when I point out it's probably not a good idea), so so gross!

You should be fine with avoiding catching norovirus though; just make sure you wash your hands throughly and often, always before eating, and avoid touching your face at all. I've worked on wards through plenty of outbreaks and only caught it once - think I must have breathed in some particles from when I was propping up a really frail patient who was vomming everywhere (didn't realise it can be airborne) . But if you avoid close contact and wash your hands, you'll be fine.

YADNBU. I work in a hospital that currently has a norovirus outbreak. Visiting was suspended for about a week, because ill people came in and one person vomited on a ward also, more annoyingly, people ALWAYS bring their sick children in and let them run riot round the wards. Boils my blood

yanbu
even though with some diseases you can be shedding infection before you get ill (typhoid mary)

I must admit I was surprised when my Dad was dying in hospital how many people walked past without using the disinfection thing by the ward doors.

We did take ds (3) to see him but only because he was dying and he had a private room. I asked the consultant first and she said the pros outweighed the cons in his case.

Any chance of a home birth OP?

All people have to do is think!

The number of times I've been in the toilets, horoughly scrubbing at my hands and some dirty skank exits a cubicle and walks out without washing her hands are too numerous to mention! 😡

This should not be happening FGS!

I understand there will always be frail, immune compromised or vulnerable people for whom a bug like this requires special care and who need nursing care however, for the vast majority of people, this isn't life threatening and hospital is not the place to go with this bug.

Fewer people would have this thing if we all had better hand hygiene and actually followed instructions.

God! It makes me sick!

Not literally. 😳

I think I'm having contractions but very infrequently. I've just messaged the hospital to clarify if the virus is present on the labour ward and delivery suites. The shared toilet issue and dp not being able to use it is a worry.
I'm not prepared enough to have ds at home but I'm going to try and wait it out as long as I can and get the lovely taxi service that's local to me to take me to a different hospital. It isnt worth the risk to me

@intelligent, yep that's the hospital :( I can't face it. It isnt worth the risk. I'd rather have him in the tub and phone my midwife ASAP

Honestly OP, if you want to stay home (and no clinical issues obviously) then ring your MW and say you’re staying home if possible.
They’ll pop out with a HB kit. All you really need to supply yourself is a cosy, comfortable labouring environment, towels and hopefully some bed pads or shower curtains to protect your floor.
I’ve had home deliveries a few times and didn’t have to worry about germs.

Would it be the general midwives? My midwife commutes from Wales to the Midlands (crazy) every day and I suspect she will be home right now. Kinda worried as I want to now stay home but I'm totally not prepared and I'm unsure what to expect

Of course yanbu.
The sort of person that would visit hospital knowing they are ill is in the same class of person who visits a newborn and their mum with a raging cold... no words for some people.

www.nct.org.uk/birth/what-do-i-need-home-birth

And the good thing is you can just see how you feel and how you’re coping. Going to hospital is always an option.
Best off ringing delivery suite and telling them ypu’d Like to stay at home as long as possible but worried you won’t have everything if you end up delivering at home.

Our local (in the north west) hospital has just reopened after being shut to visitors, my mum was admitted ,surprisingly my dad was able to walk on the ward without being stopped, mo offence to any nurses that work there but it’s so dirty I’m not suprised there are outbreaks, the same hospital 2 years ago when my mum got sepsis after her first chemo put her on a ward with a patient with d & v

Staff probably bring it in too tbh. There are ridiculous rules and disciplinary procedures if staff are ill and many are terrified of losing their jobs if they don't go in. Until this changes, things will be the same. Obviously it's terrible to put patients at risk but the staff have families to provide for.

You say your 11month dd is emetophobic?
Or did I get that wrong
Aside from that, what alternatives are there for you.
I understand your panic and the general consensus that it’s not good for people to bring ill people into hospital
But have you discussed all of the risks. And why do you presume your dp will catch it?

I recall visiting our mother in hospital in the mid 60s, my dad would come home from work, wash, shave and change his clothes to visit. My brother once fell over walking into the hospital and the sister made him wash his hands and knees, not having that dirt on my ward. No one sat on the bed, ever. In the 2000s when she was in again there were dozens of people, crawling on the beds, wearing dirty clothes and looking none too clean. People bring germs into hospital and they need to be kept out.