ASHEVILLE - Mission Hospital will now screen all patients and visitors upon entry, according to a March 4 press release.

Patients and visitors will be asked three questions — whether they've had a fever, a cough or shortness of breath in the last week — according to spokeswoman Nancy Lindell.

From 7 p.m.-5 a.m., patients and visitors will need to use entrances 1 or 4 (the Emergency Department and Visitor entrances).

More:Are local hospitals prepared for coronavirus? With COVID-19 in NC, health officials react

From 5 a.m.-7 p.m., entrances 1, 2, 4, 9 and 10 (Emergency, North Tower, Visitor, Labor & Delivery and Owen Heart Center) will be available. However, Mission asks that patients and visitors use entrance 9 only if Labor & Delivery is their destination.

As part of normal flu season protocols, hospital further recommends that children under 12 do not visit patients, according to Lindell.

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Elizabeth Anne Brown is the trending news reporter for the Citizen Times. Reach her at eabrown@citizentimes.com, or follow her on Twitter @eabrown18.

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