Children's Minnesota COVID-19 update

MINNEAPOLIS, April 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the COVID-19 situation changes rapidly, Children's Minnesota continues to evaluate operations and services to best serve the community and keep patients, families and staff safe and healthy.

Read more Children's Minnesota COVID-19 information

Children's Minnesota operations updates

Children's Minnesota sees young adult patients

• Children's Minnesota is increasing its inpatient age limit to 25 years old to help adult-focused hospital systems manage a surge of COVID-19 patients.
• The organization is also prepared to take on pediatric patients who previously received care at other hospitals throughout the metro and state.

Elective surgeries are postponed until at least the end of April

• Children's Minnesota will continue its adjusted services schedule, including the postponement of elective surgeries, until the end of April.
• Select clinics will continue to operate with reduced hours and locations.

At-home visitor screenings are implemented

• In addition to implementing updated visitor guidelines, Children's Minnesota also asks all parents or legal guardians and staff to complete an at-home health screening prior to each visit to our facilities to check for COVID-19 symptoms.
• All parents and guardians will be screened again at the hospital for COVID-19 symptoms and will not be allowed to enter if they are sick.

Curbside vaccinations offered at select primary care clinics:

• Children's Minnesota clinics set up a new drive-up vaccine service at clinics in Brooklyn Park, Hugo, Minneapolis, Rogers, St. Louis Park, St. Paul and West St. Paul.
• This service allows Children's Minnesota to prioritize well-child check-ups for children ages 2 and younger while still fulfilling older children's need for critical immunizations.

Children's Minnesota employees make protective equipment

A group of Children's Minnesota employees showed remarkable initiative and quick, creative problem-solving to address the challenge of securing proper personal protective equipment (PPE) for their colleagues. On the first day of production, the team made 295 reusable face shields that are immediately ready for use. They hope to produce 1,000 face shields each week.

More information: Children's Minnesota employees succeed at making face shields for safety

About Children's Minnesota

Children's Minnesota is the seventh largest pediatric health system in the United States and the only health system in Minnesota to provide care exclusively to children, from before birth through young adulthood. An independent and not-for-profit system since 1924, Children's Minnesota serves kids throughout the Upper Midwest at two free-standing hospitals, 12 primary and specialty care clinics and six rehabilitation sites. Children's Minnesota is regularly ranked by U.S. News & World Report as a top children's hospital.

Find us on Facebook @childrensminnesota or on Twitter and Instagram @childrensmn. Please visit childrensMN.org.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/childrens-minnesota-covid-19-update-301036823.html

SOURCE Children's Minnesota