The following message was sent to the Drexel community on March 14.
Dear Students and Colleagues,
I am writing to let you know that late Friday night, March 13, we learned that a physician at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children who worked in the ICU, has been diagnosed with a presumed case of COVID-19. The physician was last at the hospital on March 11 and began to feel unwell later that day. We know that the infection was not acquired in the hospital.
In adherence with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) guidelines, St. Christopher’s is taking all necessary precautions to protect its patients, the patients currently in the ICU or those recently treated in the ICU, families, and its staff. St. Christopher’s is working closely with the DOH to determine the testing process for anyone who may have been exposed.
On the evening of March 13, St. Christopher’s immediately took the following steps:
- The ICU is closed to new admissions and the Level 1 Trauma department is closed.
- Children currently in the ICU will not be transferred out of the unit.
- The ICU staff have been notified of this situation. They will wear the required and approved Protective Personal Equipment (PPE), including gowns, gloves, eye protection, and masks when they are in the ICU treating patients.
- All ICU staff will wear surgical masks when they are outside of patient rooms.
- Non-essential staff, including social workers, case management, child life services, and others, will not be permitted in the ICU. Environmental Services will continue to clean rooms as required and will wear the required PPE.
St. Christopher’s remains open and committed to meeting the needs of the community. The hospital is contacting the families of any patients, family members, and employees who may have been exposed. Working in collaboration with Tower Health and St. Christopher’s, Drexel continues to monitor the impact of COVID-19; we will keep you updated on any important developments.
Students, faculty and professional staff with respiratory illness are reminded to stay home and seek appropriate medical care. If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 infection and/or if you have been exposed to someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, students must contact Student Health. Faculty and professional staff should notify Drexel via the email Covid19Health@drexel.edu.
For more information and regular updates, please check the Drexel University coronavirus website.
We ask for your continued understanding and patience during this uncertain time. Please continue to support and take care of each other.
Sincerely,
John Fry
President