Use this consent form for your child if you're receiving the Pfizer vaccine for your 5-11 year old new511consent.pdf or 12+ new12consent.pdf
This post will be updated with links that we find helpful and informative to help you navigate the coronavirus outbreak.
Minnesota expanded eligibility for the COVID vaccine to the general population. Pediatric Services recommends the COVID vaccine for ALL children ages 5 years and older.
We are unable to administer COVID-19 vaccinations at routine checkups. Well visit appointments are available, and we would love to see your teens! Please call to schedule.
Future COVID vaccine scheduling will be available on the portal. Register at patientportal.intelichart.com
Pediatric Services is committed to offering the COVID-19 vaccine to qualified patients as they become available. When this occurs, we will be following the Minnesota Department of Health guidelines for distribution. Clinical trials are ongoing to investigate safety and efficacy in children of younger ages. We will keep you updated via this website and/or direct message as opportunities for vaccination arise.
Stay safe, mask up, and we’ll get through this together!
- If your child has been sick or has a known exposure to COVID-19, please complete the Covid Illness Survey and call our office at 952-922-4200 to get more information about getting a test at our office.
- A FAQ from the pediatric pulmonary group at Children's: COVID & Schools
What to do if you are ill and have been COVID tested
What to do if you're not ill and have been COVID tested
Q. What are the symptoms of COVID?
A. From the CDC and from the MDH - fever, headache, cough, runny nose, sore throat, shortness of breath, vomiting, diarrhea, body aches, fatigue, rash, new loss of smell or taste
Q. What defines an exposure to COVID?
A. From the CDC - you were less than 6 feet for more than 15 minutes, shared food or drink, had intimate contact with or you were exposed to sneezing or coughing from someone with COVID.
Second degree contacts do NOT count as exposure (your child's friend's parent, your friend's kid, your child's teacher's relative, your child's teammate's friend/parent, your daycare classmate's parent, etc)
Q. What do I do if I'm sick?
A. From the CDC and from the MDH - STAY HOME!
Q. When can I be around others if I had COVID or had symptoms of COVID?
A. From the CDC - you should quarantine for 10 days from the onset of symptoms and your fever or cough have resolved even if you have a negative COVID test. The CDC recommends 24 hours of no fever, cough and the MDH recommends 72 hours of no fever, cough.
Q. Should I get tested?
A. From the MDH - If you have symptoms of COVID or have been exposed to someone with COVID (see above). The best timing for a test is 3-4 days after symptoms start or 5-7 days after exposure. There is no utility in being tested immediately after being exposed. There is no utility in being tested if you haven't been exposed and have no symptoms of COVID.
Q. What can I do to decrease my risk?
Wear a mask when out in public, Wash your hands and practice good hand hygiene using hand sanitizer when entering and exiting a public space, and finally Watch your distance from other people. (The three W's Wear/Wash/Watch) CDC MDH
Information from MDH on rapid antibody tests
Information from MDH on getting tested
pediatric-services-covid-policies-may-10-2020.pdf - CURRENT POLICIES
We are taking great strides to continue providing you with great care and keeping you safe during the Coronavirus pandemic. Multiple policies have been implemented:
Office Visits
At Your Next Office Visit
If you are scheduled to see a provider in the clinic, follow the new clinic visit guidelines outlined below:
- When you arrive at our office, do not come inside. Please park in the parking lot, stay in your car, and call our office to let us know you have arrived.
- When you arrive and call, please tell us the patient’s name and date of birth. Also provide a current phone number so we can call/text you when we are ready to bring you into the patient rooms.
- Hopefully you will have received an email with any paperwork that you need to fill out a few days prior to your visit. Please return the completed forms by email prior to your appointment.
- Remove all extra clothing and leave unnecessary bags/toys/other belongings in the car.
- We will call/text you when we are ready to bring you to your room. At that time come into the office and one of our staff will greet you in the waiting room to bring you directly to your exam room.
- Please wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth to the appointment. If you child is over 2 years old, he or she should also wear a mask.
- If you have a copay, this will be collected by the staff person who brings you to your room.
- Your nurse and provider will visit you in the exam room. After your visit is over, if you need a follow upappointment please call to schedule a follow-up visit to avoid prolonged time in office and at the front desk.
- When you are finished, you and your child can walk directly out of the office back to your car. Please do not stop at the front desk on your way out. Pediatric Services have taken extra precautions to make ensure your safety:
- Children and caregivers will be assessed for COVID-19 risk via phone or via telemedicine visit prior to being allowed into the office for a visit. If deemed to be at risk, patients will not be allowed into the office.
- If you call and your child has a cough and fever or other COVID-19 symptoms, you will be offered a scheduled time for a video telemedicine appointment that will be charged to your insurance company.
- Only completely well children will be seen in the mornings and all sick visits are in the afternoon in an effort to not expose children who are in the office for non-illness related visits. If you are scheduled for a morning appointment and the patient or parent are sick you will be asked to reschedule.
- Exam rooms are cleaned and left unoccupied for a period of time after each visit.
- You may see clinicians in scrubs.
- Our staff will be wearing masks, glasses and gloves within 6 feet of all patient contact.
- We prefer that you and your child over age 2 wear a mask to help prevent the spread of your germs to others. If you don’t come with your own mask, please take only one mask, they are in limited supply and it is difficult to restock at this time.
- We have removed all books and toys from our waiting area and rooms.
- Lollipops and stickers are behind the desk for the staff to hand out after your visit
- No office staff will come to work sick. Staff are surveyed and temp taken before starting work each day.
- We are sensitive to the generation at greatest risk and prefer all people over the age of 60 stay home.
Telemedicine Visits
We are pleased to be able to provide telemedicine in appropriate situations to our families. With Telemedicine visits we are able to obtain a good history, limited exam and provide you with a plan of treatment without coming into the office. In some cases we will ask you to come in for a lab test such as Rapid Strep or a brief exam if we are concerned about an ear infection in younger children, pneumonia at any age or in other situations. Because Telemedicine visits allow us to provide most services that you would receive during an office visit, we will send a bill for our service to your insurance company and your insurance may apply co-payments. Please call our office at 952-922-4200 if you wish to schedule a Telemedicine visit.
If you have a scheduled Telemedicine visit, go to ps.doxy.me about 3-5 minutes before your scheduled time. You will be asked to select which provider you will be seeing from a drop-down list and then enter the PATIENT’S NAME, not parent’s name. Be patient if you don’t see your provider on the screen right away as they are probably doing another visit and will be with you within a few minutes of the appointed time. New telemedicine users may wish to go to the website early to do a “Pre-Call Test” (lower left corner of the screen) to be sure your device and internet connection are adequate. To help with an efficient Telemedicine visit here are some tips:
- Newer generation cell phones (iPhone 11, even earlier models, etc.) have wonderful cameras and work better than laptop computers allowing you to move the camera around so that we may examine your child.
- Close Apps or programs you are not using (or restart computer)
- Google Chrome, Apple Safari and Firefox browsers work best.
- Have a small penlight available to aid in exam (with most cell phones you are not able to use the camera and flashlight at the same time).
- For infants and toddlers with fever or respiratory symptoms have them undressed and wrapped in a blanket so they are already comfortable and ready to be examined.