Banner Restricts Visitors - Protocol for Screening for COVID-19

Provided by the Banner Churchill Community Hospital -- Banner Health’s COVID-19 preparedness and response team is focused on the health and safety of our employees, patients and the community, making critical decisions and adjustments as conditions change and new information arrives. The need for strict adherence to social distancing and proper hand hygiene remains the number one thing our community can do to help protect each other. All Banner facilities are now further restricting visitors and access points. No visitors will be allowed, except one adult for pediatric patients and one support person for laboring mothers. The Main Entrance will be open 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and you may be screened prior to admittance into the facility. The emergency department will continue to be available for trauma and ED patients. If you feel you have been exposed to COVID-19 and have symptoms such as a fever with shortness of breath, coughing, runny nose, and sore throat, please call us prior to walking into the hospital. Depending on your situation we may meet you in the parking lot to complete COVID-19 screenings and testing. Emergency Department: 775-867-7135; Clinic: 775-867-7752. Due to our focus on patient care and critical need, we are asking the public to please reference the Banner website for updated information, rather than calling so lines remain open for emergencies. The best way to stay informed an up to date on our COVID-19 response is to visit our website. Also, Employers should not advise employees to use emergency rooms for back-to-work clearance. Banner Health emergency rooms are experiencing an influx of citizens arriving for a “back-to-work clearance,” at the directive of their employers. Emergency rooms are not equipped for, nor the appropriate venue for, such clearances. We are asking all employers to find alternative ways to evaluate their employees’ fitness to return to work following an illness, such as contacting their primary care provider or being symptom free for a period of time. The emergency room is for those with serious health concerns that require immediate medical attention. Banner will not provide “fit-for-work clearances” or test for COVID-19 at the request of an employer. Only those who meet CDC criteria for testing will be tested. To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, we strongly encourage social distancing, aside from essential activities, and to stay home if you are sick. Also:

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue! Be sure to throw the tissue directly into the trash after you’re done.
• If you need to touch your eyes, nose or mouth, make sure it’s with washed hands.
• Make sure you wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, or utilize a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

Visit Banner Health’s COVID-19 webpage for more detailed information on what we currently know about COVID-19 and why these steps are so important. For further information: [email protected]       Sign up to receive updates and the Friday File email notices. Support local, independent news – contribute to The Fallon Post, your non-profit (501c3) online news source for all things Fallon.