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Coronavirus

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Last Updated: May 29

Currently Scheduling Appointments

COVID-19 has put a lot of things on hold, but our ability to offer kids medical care in a safe environment isn’t one of them. While things may feel a little different at our locations, the care and attention your child receives will be the same. Here’s how we are making that happen.

Extra Safety Measures 

We have taken every possible precaution to make sure our locations are safe for you and your children, including:

  • Everyone age 2 years and older must wear a mask while in a Nemours location. If you or your child do not have a mask, we will provide one.
  • screening all staff, patients and visitors for COVID-19 as soon as they arrive at a Nemours location, including taking temperatures
  • changing waiting room layouts and limiting the number of patients in our offices to ensure social distancing
  • taking some registration information over the phone before you visit — this reduces in-person interactions
  • performing daily deep cleaning of our locations to kill the virus on surfaces

For New Appointments 

We continue to follow the recommendations of our infectious disease experts and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and are once again scheduling primary and specialty care appointments. We also continue to see children and teens in our urgent care and emergency department locations, and for children that don’t require an in-person office visit, we recommend video visits for primary and specialty care through our video visit platform, Nemours CareConnect.

If your child doesn’t feel well, please call your child’s primary care doctor or specialist office, or have a video visit to find out what to do. If you think your child has been exposed to COVID-19, call your primary care doctor for instructions on how to get your child tested and how to care for your child.

If your child is a patient of one of our Primary Care practices, please see here for important information.

Closures & Cancellations

Location Closures

Our patients, families and team members are of the utmost importance to us. As part of our COVID-19 response, we are temporarily closing or relocating some of our locations. These temporary moves allow us to better serve children who have urgent medical needs and require in-person care, and support social distancing goals to limit exposure and slow spread of the disease in our community.

Find closure information in your area:

Urgent Care Locations

Primary Care Locations

As of May 20, all of our Primary Care locations are open and have safe practices in place to care for your child.

Also as of May 20, we are still not having walk-in hours — to make certain we can maintain social distancing. Please call for any needed sick appointments. 

Specialty Care Locations

Visitation & Transport

New Visitor Policy in Effect 

We know how important family is to the care and well-being of our patients. To keep you and your child safe, and to reduce the spread of COVID-19, we have temporarily introduced new visiting rules at all Nemours clinical locations. 

Nemours will give cloth or disposable masks to families, visitors and patients age two or older when they enter a Nemours location. If you already have a cloth or disposable mask, you are encouraged to wear it when you come to any Nemours location.

For inpatient hospital and emergency department visits:

  • We are asking families to name one healthy parent/caregiver to be a patient’s approved visitor for the full hospital stay. Only this person can visit. All others, including siblings, cannot come into the hospital. 
  • We will ask health screening questions at the hospital entrance. After the designated caregiver is approved, they must wear a special wristband issued by the check-in staff. 
  • Designated caregivers who leave the hospital and don’t return within 24 hours will be screened again and given a new wristband. 
  • Designated caregivers who show symptoms of COVID-19, including fever or cough or shortness of breath or sore throat, will not be allowed in the hospital. If you are sick, please stay home and send another healthy caregiver to be with your child.
  • A cloth or disposable mask will be given to all inpatient families, visitors and patients upon entering the building (if you do not already have one). Please place your mask on before leaving your patient room, when in public areas, and when within 6 feet of another person, including all Nemours associates. When you are in your child’s room, and a Nemours team member enters the room, please be sure to put your mask on. We will wait for you to put the mask on before entering.

At times during the COVID-19 emergency, it may be necessary for Nemours to care for patients over the age of 21. These patients cannot have visitors. 

For urgent care, outpatient, specialty and primary care visits:

  • Only one healthy parent or caregiver can accompany a child. Siblings and other family or friends may not be at these visits.  
  • If you are feeling sick, find a healthy caregiver to bring your child to their scheduled appointment. If you can’t find a healthy adult to accompany your child, please call us to reschedule your appointment.
  • All outpatient families, visitors and patients should wear a mask for their entire visit. If you have your own cloth or disposable masks, please make sure you and your child (if they are age two or older) wear them when you arrive. If you don’t have masks, they will be provided by our staff at an entrance. If you receive a cloth mask, please return it to your nurse at the end of your visit. Disposable masks can be properly discarded in any trash can at the end of your visit. If you do not have a mask at home, you can keep the one we provide.

Limiting visitors helps us control the spread of illness and keep everyone safe. Please note that this process is subject to change. We are monitoring the situation daily and appreciate your help in protecting your child and others.

NOTE: These rules only apply at Nemours locations. Policies at our affiliated hospitals may be different. The check-in staff at those locations will explain their policy.

Patient Transport

Parents and caregivers will not be permitted to ride in ambulances with patients. They should plan to follow the ambulance to the destination.

What is Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

Coronaviruses are common causes of colds, upper respiratory infections, and, in some cases, lower respiratory infections like pneumonia — this is just a new form of it. The virus spreads through droplets sent into the air when people cough or sneeze. Most common symptoms are a fever, runny nose,  some muscle aches, and cough. Fortunately, most kids have had very mild symptoms — and may not have any symptoms at all. The virus can be serious in adults, though. Even with mild symptoms, kids can still spread the virus to others. That's why it’s important to stay away from others and to wash hands often. Learn More About the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Questions & Answers About the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

We are doing everything possible at all of our hospitals and primary, specialty and urgent care locations to protect patients and visitors, and limit the spread of this virus. This includes:

  • following all recommendations from the departments of health in the states we serve on screening of patients, testing of patients and the use of personal protective equipment
  • screening all hospital visitors for risk factors for coronavirus (COVID-19) exposure — all visitors are strongly encouraged to practice careful handwashing and cough etiquette
  • evaluating patients who screen positive for risk factors according to recommendations from the state department of health
  • setting up special areas to care for any children who show symptoms of the virus, away from other children and families
  • setting up handwashing stations in prominent areas (handwashing has been shown to be the most effective prevention method — masking has only been shown to be effective for those who already have the virus)

The first thing to do is look at the symptoms. In children, the symptoms are typically mild and include nasal discharge, cough and fever, but your child is still able to perform normal activities like eating and playing. The symptoms are a bit like those of the cold or flu. 

Currently, there's no medication to cure a COVID-19 infection. We can only provide care to manage the symptoms. Kids with COVID-19 infections who are only mildly ill should be cared for at home until symptoms resolve completely. Children with a fever may be given acetaminophen. Mildly ill children should not be seen in an emergency room, urgent care center or primary care pediatric office. 

Moderately and severely ill children should undergo a medical evaluation. For moderately ill children (those who have fever, cough and have stopped normal activities like eating and playing, but aren't quite severely ill), we recommend a Nemours CareConnect visit. This on-demand, 24/7 service allows your child to be seen by one of our pediatricians through a live video visit, right from your desktop or mobile device. (A live video visit is as low as $0, depending on your insurance.) It's convenient for you and helps protect the health of our medical providers and office staff in times like this. 

You may also contact us through our primary care or urgent care locations. Please call to speak with a health care professional, who can evaluate your child's symptoms and provide the correct care advice.

Severely ill children (children with difficulty breathing, pain, inactivity or changes in alertness, and refusing to eat or drink) should be transported immediately to a nearby emergency department. (Call ahead so they can take steps to provide you with the right treatment and protect your child and others from further exposure.)

If you know your child has been exposed to a person with a proven or suspected coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, notify the state department of health immediately, and avoid contact with other people until you receive instructions from the department.

The availability of testing for COVID-19 is rapidly changing. Doctors, hospitals, commercial labs and local health departments are working together. If you think your child has symptoms of COVID-19, call your doctor. They will give you the most up-to-date information on how testing is being handled in your area.

Please check cancellation announcements above — most appointments are being moved to a telemedicine or video visit. Watch your email for your invitation to get started. 

All families visiting Nemours hospitals, primary and urgent care locations will be screened for risk factors for coronavirus COVID-19 infection. Children without risk factors will receive care as usual. Children who are suspected of having a COVID-19 infection will be seen in areas away from other children, to help prevent your child from getting the virus.

You may also see more handwashing stations. (Handwashing has been shown to be the most effective prevention method.)

We regret that, at this time in the best interest of the health and safety of all — especially your child — we are cancelling all Child Life, Creative Arts Therapy and School Programs events at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children and Nemours Children’s Hospital, until further notice. This was a difficult decision to make because these events are so supportive of the care we provide. We will continue to evaluate over the coming weeks and hope to reschedule these events after we see a steady decline or absence of COVID-19.

We'll continue to care for your child while taking extra precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Children who have the coronavirus will be cared for in areas away from other children, to help prevent your child from getting the virus.

You should see all health care providers washing their hands frequently, and you may be encouraged to do so as well, because handwashing has been shown to be the most effective prevention method.

Many hospitals and other health care sites routinely test for human coronaviruses. These are not the same as the coronavirus causing COVID-19, which came from animals and moved to people. If you or your child has tested positive for a human coronavirus, you require no special treatment beyond what your doctor recommends. The symptoms for a human coronavirus are usually mild and last only a few days. 

Read this short article or this question-and-answer piece from Nemours KidsHealth, the Web’s most-visited site for physician-reviewed information and advice on children's health and parenting issues.

Read this article from Nemours KidsHealth, the Web’s most-visited site for physician-reviewed information and advice on children's health and parenting issues. This article has information on symptoms, treatment, and how to protect your child and yourself.

Check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) websites for current information on the new coronavirus. For information in your area, check with your local public health agencies, such as:

delaware.gov
floridahealth.gov

Nemours in the News: Leading Through COVID-19

During the pandemic, Nemours leaders have been called upon to share expertise, tips and advice to educate families locally, nationally and internationally. Learn More »

24/7 Online Doctor Visits

We are always here to care for kids who are sick. If your child doesn’t feel well, have a video visit (also called "telehealth visit") with Nemours CareConnect to find out what to do.

You can download Nemours CareConnect from the App Store or Google Play now. Follow the steps in the app to enroll your child so you are ready for a video visit at any time.

CareConnect App

Donations

Nemours is accepting certain proper personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning supplies, etc. — see a listing of what’s needed and how to donate.

The Child Life departments at our hospitals in Wilmington, Del., and Orlando, Fla., are not accepting donations of toys and play materials until further notice.

NEW: Walk-In Orthopedic Injury Clinic

Nemours Children's Specialty Care, Jacksonville South is offering a way to get urgent orthopedic care while avoiding the hospital or Emergency Department. (Monday–Friday: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.)

Care includes:

  • Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and casting
  • bone and joint injuries
  • dislocations
  • fractures
  • sprains and strains
  • sports injuries
  • injury related imaging

To learn more call (904) 697-3600.

Contact Us

Delaware/Greater

Philadelphia
(800) 416-4441

 

Central Florida
(407) 650-7715

 

Northeast Florida
(904) 697-3600

 

Northwest Florida
(850) 505-4700

 

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Top 5 FAQs About COVID-19

Community Physicians

For the latest on our locations and how to refer your patients, see our updates on this page.