Keeping Our Staff and Families Safe and Healthy During COVID-19
Update as of July 2023
The health and safety of our staff and families remain our top priority. To minimize the risks related to the spread of COVID-19, we follow the guidance of the NIH Hospital Epidemiology Service.
Regardless of vaccination status, The Children’s Inn at NIH requires all staff, patients, and their family members to wear a mask over their nose and mouth and maintain a physical distance of six feet. Families and staff must also complete a health screening when entering The Inn.
We are adjusting our protocols to align with those of the Clinical Center. To that end, we are making the following changes:
- As of Friday, July 14, 2023, The Inn does not require families to provide pre-visit PCR test results before their visit. We strongly recommend that families monitor themselves for symptoms before they travel.
- Families will continue to complete the health screen upon arrival at The Children’s Inn.
- At this time The Inn cannot accommodate families who test positive for Covid-19. In these cases, the medical team will still be required to make alternative arrangements for the family.
During Your Stay
- Only patients and caregivers with a reservation can enter The Inn.
- Families staying at The Inn can have up to two visitors per visit.
- Pediatric patients aged 18 and under are permitted to have two adult caregivers.
- Young adult patients aged 19 to 30 are permitted to have one adult caregiver.
Our Safety Approach
- Our primary goal is to keep you safe and healthy while ensuring the smooth continuity of our daily operations. As we continue to monitor the developments brought upon by COVID-19, we have implemented the following:
- We promote mask-wearing, social distancing, and proper handwashing.
- Hand sanitizer disinfecting wipes are readily available throughout The Inn.
- Our housekeeping service follows enhanced cleanliness and safety protocols.
- We continue to provide distance-learning opportunities to minimize the risk of close personal interactions.
- To check on our families’ well-being and needs, our staff does a weekly check-in.
- If a patient or their caregiver test positive while staying at The Inn, the family must work with their medical team for alternate housing accommodations.
If you have any additional questions, please email us. Thank you for your continued collaboration in keeping all of our families safe.