How We Are Keeping Patients, Families and Visitors Safe
We want you to know that it is safe to come to Cincinnati Children’s during the coronavirus pandemic. We are taking every precaution to protect your child and your family while you are at the medical center. During your visit you can expect:
- Continuous and thorough cleaning of all surfaces, spaces and equipment, around the clock (See details below.)
- Daily screenings of inpatient visitors.
- Visitor limitations across inpatient areas
- Up-to-date safety protocols based on the most recent guidance from the Ohio Department of Health and Gov. Mike DeWine’s office
What Procedures Are in Place to Disinfect Spaces?
- In inpatient spaces, our cleaning procedures have not changed in response to COVID-19. The products and practices we have always used are more than enough to effectively kill the coronavirus. As always, linens are removed, rooms are thoroughly cleaned and surfaces fully disinfected between each patient. Many inpatient rooms are additionally disinfected using ultraviolet (UV-C) light disinfection methods that are more powerful than cleaning solutions to protect our most vulnerable patients.
- In outpatient spaces, our thorough cleaning and disinfecting procedures continue, using cleaning solutions that kill coronavirus plus many other bacteria and viruses. As with inpatient rooms, clinic rooms are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between each patient visit.
- We have increased the frequency of cleaning in high-traffic, high-touch public areas like the Burnet Campus concourse, waiting areas at all locations, emergency departments, urgent cares, outpatient clinics, public restrooms and the screening stations at facility entrances. These spaces are cleaned several times each day, including during overnight hours.
- Additionally, all clinics, emergency departments, exam rooms, operating rooms, procedure centers and urgent cares receive UV-C treatment monthly, as an extra precaution.
How Does Ultraviolet Light Cleaning Work?
Infection prevention and environmental services teams at Cincinnati Children’s began using ultraviolet (UV-C) light in 2015 to help kill germs such as COVID-19.
UV-C light basically breaks apart the DNA of an organism. “As a result, the organism dies,” said Josh Schaffzin, MD, director of Infection Prevention. UV-C light effectively reduces multi-drug resistant organisms that are difficult to eliminate through traditional cleaning methods by more than 99 percent.
The lamps we use emit pulses of UV-C light to disinfect patient rooms in about 15 minutes.
The UV-C light can sunburn skin but cannot penetrate glass, doors or anything as thin as a sheet of aluminum foil. A built-in motion sensor acts as a safety feature to shut off the sterilization system if any motion is detected.
Will I See People Cleaning / Disinfecting the Facilities?
You might see our environmental services team members cleaning and disinfecting spaces, but you also may not. They are like cleaning ninjas, efficient, stealthy and always on the move keeping many spaces clean. We assure you that we are taking disinfecting very seriously and watching traffic in public areas closely so we can adjust frequency of touches as needed.
