Coronavirus Updates

As We Resume Operations

At Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, the health and safety of your child and family is our utmost concern. As we resume many elective services, we want to advise you of new practices at our offices and facilities to enhance the safety of all.

• Visitor Restrictions: As a safety precaution, we are limiting visitors in our facilities. For inpatients and for surgery-related outpatient visits, two adult visitors may accompany the child. For all other outpatient visits, we ask that only one adult attend. Please make arrangements for the care of other children prior to any visit. For children with special needs such as those with autism or other medical conditions that require additional caregiver support, we will make accommodations and exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
• Arrival Screenings: As implemented as a precaution at most South Florida hospitals, we continue to provide temperature screening for all visitors, patients and staff upon arrival.
• Masks and Personal Protective Equipment: We ask that you and your child wear a mask upon arrival at any facility. All Nicklaus Children’s staff will be wearing masks and other personal protective equipment as well. It is important that masks cover the nose and mouth at all times. Please do not remove the child’s mask unless asked to by your care provider. Children under 2 years of age should not wear masks.
• Advance Testing: If your child is having elective surgery or a procedure, a pre-procedure testing appointment will be scheduled two to three days prior. 
• Physical Distancing: Nicklaus Children’s is using modified scheduling practices to minimize the number of patients in common areas. You will also see prompts to help promote physical distancing in common areas. Please help your child to follow prompts for your protection and that of others.
• Cleaning Practices and Hand Hygiene: Deep cleanings of clinical spaces and common areas take place throughout the day to ensure that surfaces are regularly disinfected. We encourage you to wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer dispensers are located throughout all facilities.
• Advance Registration and Virtual Visits: To minimize touch points, many services feature advance phone registration. Many providers also offer virtual visits. Before scheduling a virtual visit, the provider will ensure you have the needed technology and instructions to help you prepare for that visit. It’s easy and we will walk you through every step of the process. Depending on the reason for your visits, we may need to see you in person or via a combination of in person and virtual visits. We will work with you on the best appointment type for each visit. 
• Complimentary Parking: Nicklaus Children’s provides free parking to patient families and visitors in either its Blue Garage (located off of SW 62 Avenue entrance or the Green Garage off of the Devonshire Boulevard entrance). As a safety measure, valet parking services are temporarily suspended.

How Nicklaus Children’s is Working to Keep You Safe

Nicklaus Children’s is closely monitoring the international and regional impact of COVID-19. As part of our commitment to the health and safety of our patients, visitors and staff, we have implemented new screening protocols and visitation practices recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

New Screening Protocol on Arrival

Everyone arriving at the main hospital or an outpatient center will receive an initial screening by the care team regarding specific criteria set forth by the CDC.

Fewer Campus Entrances at Main Campus

To ensure that we properly screen all patients and visitors at our hospital, we are limiting the number of entrances. For more details, visit Planning Your Visit.

New Visitor Policy for Inpatients and Emergency Room Visits

• Due to the current higher-than-usual rate of respiratory infections in our community, we have enacted changes to our inpatient, emergency room and outpatient care setting patient visitor policy across the health system. We are asking patient families to adhere to the following practices to ensure the safety of the children in our care.
• The new visitation policy limit visits with hospitalized children to only the same two people per room per day. Visitors can include parents or legally authorized representatives. No siblings are permitted at this time, with the exception of breastfeeding babies.  
• For an emergency department visit, we ask that parents not bring other family members. Limiting visitors is an important way we can limit the spread of illness and keep everyone safe.

New Visitor Policy for Outpatient Visits, Urgent Care and Clinic Visits.

• A maximum of one (1) primary caregiver can accompany a patient who has an appointment at any of our clinics/centers or medical offices.
• Please do not bring extra family or friends to these visits (especially children under 12 years old).
• All visitors should perform hand hygiene upon arrival.

New Food Service Practices

The Nicklaus Food Service team is following guidelines from the CDC, local and state health officials, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Restaurant Association, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. As such, we are taking the following precautions in food services areas:

• The salad bar in the Golden Cub Café has been modified to offer an assortment of individually packaged fruit cups and salads.
• Soups and cereals are now served by staff, rather than the self-service format.
• Additional sanitizing stations have been installed in all retail venues.
• All food service team members are ServSafe certified and are taking additional precautions, including increasing the frequency of hand washing and glove changes.
• Dining seating areas in the Golden Cub Café and other food service areas are being cleaned and sanitized by our team members with a multi-surface cleaner and disinfectant with increased frequency throughout the day.
• We have eliminated trays for dine-in café orders and will continue to provide bags for customer convenience.

Working to Protect Our Community

Nicklaus Children’s leaders and staff are working diligently to ensure that hospital care teams are prepared to meet the needs of the local pediatric population. We receive daily guidance from the CDC and health departments, and communicate each day with staff to keep everyone informed. We have conducted extensive staff training related to best care management practices to ensure teams are prepared as the situation evolves.

International Travel Alerts

The CDC recommends avoiding all nonessential international travel. The CDC’s Level 3 Travel Alert’s List now includes ANY international travel outside of the United States and any cruise ship travel. Please click here to review the CDC’s Travel Alerts List (keep this bookmarked so that you can check back frequently because the situation is changing quickly). If you must travel, follow the recommendations in the CDC’s Global COVID-19 Pandemic Notice

Domestic Travel Alerts

In addition to the CDC’s Level 3 Travel Alerts List, in guidance with Governor DeSantis’ order there are several states on the high-risk travel list: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Louisiana. To view health recommendations by destination, visit the CDC’s webpage for your destination<

How You Can Help Keep Others Safe at Nicklaus

All parents/guardians accompanying children during medical appointments must be free of signs and symptoms of infectious disease, including cough, runny nose, rash, vomiting and fever. Please notify the medical provider caring for your child if you are anyone else in the home has a fever, cough, rash, shortness of breath, or any other signs of respiratory infection.

Physical Distancing

According to the Florida Department of Health, physical distancing is recommended when the risk of infection is possible. This can include limiting gatherings of large groups, or postponing events.

What You Can Do to Stop The Spread of Germs

Managing Stress, Anxiety and Life at Home

• Talking to Children About Coronavirus

CDC and Florida DOH Fact Sheets & Links

In an effort to inform our patient families about the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19), we're providing the CDC and Florida DOH Fact Sheets currently available:

• What you need to know
• What to do if you are sick
• Steps to take if you are sick
• Symptoms
• High risk individuals
• Masks and cloth face coverings
• Children
• Protect yourself when someone at home has COVID-19
• Managing anxiety & stress
• CDC Protects and Prepares Communities

For the latest information on the COVID-19, please visit: www.cdc.gov/nCoV