Bethany Bump is reporting for the Times Union Columbia-Memorial Hospital in Hudson is one of a dozen hospitals in the Capital Region to implement visitation guidelines, effective Wed., Dec. 11. The restrictions are part of an effort to reduce the spread of flu and other infectious diseases to at-risk hospital patients. The guidelines were issued after an announcement from state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker that flu is now prevalent in New York. Hospitals implementing the restrictions include Albany Medical Center, Albany Memorial Hospital and St. Peter's Hospital in Albany; Ellis Hospital, Bellevue Woman's Center and Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital in Schenectady; Saratoga Hospital; Glens Falls Hospital; St. Mary's Healthcare in Amsterdam; Nathan Littauer Hospital in Gloversville; and Columbia Memorial. The restrictions include: A maximum of two visitors in a patient’s room at any one time; children 12 years old and younger are barred from visiting; and, visitors with various symptoms of flu or other respiratory infections will be prevented from visiting patients, as well. Visitors will also be urged to use hand-washing stations before entering and after leaving a patient’s room. Read the full story in the Times Union.