RACINE - Wheaton Franciscan-All Saints hospital has issued stricter visitation guidelines because of H1N1 outbreaks, according to a press release from the hospital Thursday.

The new guidelines are effective at 11 a.m. Friday for people visiting hospitalized patients. The guidelines will be in effect throughout the flu season but are subject to change as necessary and exceptions may be made for cases involving critically ill patients or for end-of-life situations, the release said.

According to the new guidelines, which apply to the entire hospital at 3801 Spring St., only adults age 18 and older can visit. Those with children younger than 18 are asked to make child care arrangements for their visit if necessary because children cannot be left unattended in the hospital.

Visitors will also be limited to no more than two at a time and all visitors will be required to wash their hands upon entering and exiting a patient's room. Some may be required to wear a mask depending on the illness of the patient they are visiting.

The hospital release said pregnant women should not visit and those who have had cold or flu symptoms in the past seven days should refrain from visiting. If a visitor is observed coughing or sneezing, they may be asked to wear a mask or leave.

Additional guidelines have also been made for specific hospital areas. For the intensive care unit and inpatient oncology, patients' visitors are limited to those who provide their care and immediate family including only the patient's spouse, parents or children. In the neonatal intensive care unit, visitors are limited to the mother and up to five other consistent support people who visit throughout the baby's stay. Siblings of the baby cannot visit.