Important COVID-19 Updates For Employees and Patient Testing

Today is a historic today at Cook Children's. As of March 23, 2022, we do not have any COVID positive patients in our medical center. 

With the declining COVID cases in our system and in the community, we will make the following changes effective immediately:

For Employees:

Testing for vaccine-exempt employees

• We have stopped routine COVID-19 testing of employees who have received a COVID vaccine exemption.

Goggles and N-95 Masks

Fully vaccinated employees:

• Are no longer required to wear goggles and N-95 masks for aerosol generating procedures (AGP) on patients who have tested negative for COVID-19. However, you must continue to wear surgical masks and eye protection for AGP.
• Are no longer required to wear goggles and N-95 masks for giving nebulized treatments in the outpatient setting. However, you must continue to wear surgical masks and eye protection for this procedure.

Employees who have received an exemption or are not yet fully vaccinated:

• You must continue to wear goggles and N-95 masks during these procedures.

For Patients:

Patient Testing

• We have stopped pre-procedure patient testing for COVID-19, unless the anesthesiologist, surgeon or proceduralist want the test. If anesthesia wants testing, this would ideally be done with a rapid test on the day of surgery.
• We will continue screening questions for COVID-19 symptoms and test for the virus if we receive a positive screen from a patient.
• If a patient is admitted after a procedure, they will need a COVID test upon admission.
• All admitted patients will be Covid tested, based on our current practice.