ROCHELLE — To coincide with a newly adopted employee screening program, visitor screening will be implemented at Rochelle Community Hospital beginning Wednesday, April 22.

All RCH patients and visitors will be screened upon arrival for symptoms of COVID-19 or flu, including a temperature check. Any visitor who shows an indication or signs of illness during this screening process will not be allowed to visit or accompany the patient. Patients with fever, cough or possible exposure will be required to wear a mask throughout their visit.

RCH would like to encourage the public to wear their own masks into the building if they are able in order to save quantities of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for hospital staff. Visitors are also encouraged to reuse their own masks on repeat visits.

If your symptoms are not severe in nature, please call the RCH Triage Line at 815-561-8829 for further instructions. This line has been activated to answer any questions you may have about COVID-19. You can reach one of our nurses Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you have symptoms such as a cough, fever, chills, runny nose, sore throat, diarrhea, vomiting or muscle aches, you could have a virus. This virus could be COVID-19. We are still in the midst of flu season as well.

If you have general questions about COVID-19 and the triage line is closed, please call the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) hotline at 1-800-889-3931 which is available 24 hours a day/7 days a week . You can also email dph.sick@illinois.gov.