Coronavirus (COVID-19) Preparedness Information

Scott Memorial Health is committed to providing the highest quality care and ensuring the safety of our patients, employees, providers, volunteers and visitors. We are continuing to work closely with the Scott County Health Department and following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).We want to assure our community that our providers and clinical teams are well-trained and prepared to manage outbreaks of viruses and infectious diseases, including the coronavirus and influenza. Actions everyone can take include, but are not limited to, vaccination, good hygiene practices, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when ill.

Visitor Policy: Effective February 24, Scott Memorial implements new visitor policy.

As the number of patients with COVID-19 has decreased, we welcome visitors back to the hospital for non-COVID-19 patients. Non-Covid patients will be allowed one well visitor at a time. Visitors must stay in the patient's room the entire time of the visit and wear a mask. For more information about our visitor policy click here.

All visitors should arrive wearing a mask, use hand sanitizer upon entry and exiting the facility and practice social distancing.

COVID Vaccine Information:

Find out your eligibility for the vaccine at coronavirus.in.gov/vaccine/index.htm.

Everyone must register online or by phone.

Vaccine Clinic locations in Scott County:

Scott County Health Deprtment
1296 N Gardner Street
Scottsburg, IN 47170

Register online or by phone

Here are the steps to take to register for the vaccine online or by phone:

Online:

Go to the vaccination registration site: www.ourshot.in.gov
Enter your zip code to see a map of vaccination clinics
Register yourself or an eligible person using their name and age
Person receiving the vaccination must bring photo ID to appointment
Family member may make an appointment for a senior
Vaccinations are free!

By phone – Call 2-1-1:

Call center representative will make appointment for a senior
Family member may call on senior’s behalf
Call center hours 8am-8pm daily, including weekends

We will update this information as the rollout continues.

Monoclonal Antibody Treatment

Scott Memorial Health is offering both the bamlanivimab and the casirivimab/imdevimab therapies, These are monoclonal antibody treatments for eligible positive COVID-19 patients.

What is bamlanivimab/casirivimab and imdevimab or monoclonal antibody treatment?
Bamlanivimab/casirivimab and imdevimab are monoclonal antibody treatments developed by pharmaceutical companies Eli Lilly (bamlanivimab)/Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (casirivimab and imdevimab) to help treat non-hospitalized patients with a mild or moderate case of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2). Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made proteins that mimic the immune system's ability to fight off harmful viruses. This therapy is designed to help block the COVID-19 virus and prevent the virus from further infecting healthy cells.

Bamlanivimab/casirivimab and imdevimab have received emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are now being allocated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in partnership with the Indiana State Health Department and other state agencies.

Who is a candidate for monoclonal antibody treatment?

Adults and adolescents 12 years of age or older with mild to moderate symptoms who weigh 88 pounds (40 kg) or more, and who are at high risk for developing severe COVID-19 symptoms or the need for hospitalization.

Patients must meet specific clinical criteria including:

Lab-confirmed COVID-19 positive test
Stable enough to not require hospitalization
Be within 10 days of symptom onset

In addition to meeting the above criteria, patients must also have an order from a provider to receive this treatment.

Who is not a candidate for this treatment?

This treatment will not be considered for patients who are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19, require oxygen therapy for COVID-19, and/or have a known hypersensitivity to bamlanivimab/ casirivimab and imdevimab.

Universal Masking

Scott Memorial Health is taking every precaution to keep our patients and staff safe, and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our facilities. For this reason, we are following the CDC recommendation [and state/county mandate, if applicable] that anyone who enters our facility must wear a face mask at all times.

Visitors are encouraged to bring their own mask from home to help conserve hospital supplies for patients and staff.

Why wear a mask? Recent studies show that universal masking, in addition to practicing social distancing and proper hand hygiene, can help prevent the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19, especially in individuals who may not know they are ill. And until there is a vaccine, these measures are our best line of defense in protecting not only you, but also our healthcare workers and community members.

Please be smart and do your part. Wear a mask! We all have a responsibility to protect one another against the spread of COVID-19 and make our communities healthier.

Find more information from the CDC on face coverings and how to make your own.

Learn more about the many ways we are working to ensure your safety while you are in our care.

COVID-19 Online Risk Assessment

To help support the health of our community, we are providing access to an online COVID-19 risk assessment developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This tool does NOT provide a diagnosis, and it should NOT be used as a substitute for an assessment made by a healthcare provider.

Begin CDC Online Assessment

Scott Memorial Health COVID-19 Facility Visitor Guidance

Remembering the following tips can help prevent respiratory viruses

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or 60% alcohol based hand sanitizer
If you are washing with soap and water you should do so for at least 20 seconds, which is about the time it takes to sing the “happy birthday” song twice be sure to rub your palms, between your fingers, the finger tips, backs of hands.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth especially with unwashed hands.
Try to avoid crowds if possible, if not avoid close contact with people who are coughing, sneezing or are sick.
Clean objects and surfaces that are frequently touched with disinfectant. (shopping buggies, door knobs, remote controls, commode handles)
If you are coughing or sneezing always cover your mouth and nose area with your elbow or a tissue. Dispose of the tissue in the trash and wash your hands as soon as possible
Coughing or sneezing into your hands can spreading viruses.
Stay home if you are sick
If you need to see your doctor, let them know you are having respiratory symptoms ( cough, sneezing, or shortness of breath) with or without fever, when you call.

Hygiene Reminders from the CDC

Handwashing is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from getting sick. Learn when and how you should wash your hands to stay healthy.

Wash Your Hands Often to Stay Healthy

You can help yourself and your loved ones stay healthy by washing your hands often, especially during these key times when you are likely to get and spread germs:

Before, during, and after preparing food
Before eating food
Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea
Before and after treating a cut or wound
After using the toilet
After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
After handling pet food or pet treats
After touching garbage

Follow Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way

Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community—from your home and workplace to childcare facilities and hospitals.

Follow these five steps every time.

Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Use Hand Sanitizer When You Can’t Use Soap and Water

You can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.

Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to get rid of germs in most situations. If soap and water are not readily available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. You can tell if the sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol by looking at the product label.

Sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in many situations. However,

Sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs.
Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.
Hand sanitizers might not remove harmful chemicals from hands like pesticides and heavy metals.

Caution! Swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitizers can cause alcohol poisoning if more than a couple of mouthfuls are swallowed. Keep it out of reach of young children and supervise their use. Learn more here.

How to use hand sanitizer

Apply the gel product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount).
Rub your hands together.
Rub the gel over all the surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry. This should take around 20 seconds.

For more information, visit the CDC website.

$What to do if you have respiratory illness symptoms$

Who is at risk?

The risk to the general public remains low at this time. Right now, influenza is a much more significant threat to Americans. Protect yourself from the flu - it’s not too late to get your flu vaccine.

Evidence to date indicates those most at risk for becoming ill with COVID-19 are:

Those in close contact with someone with a confirmed COVID-19 infection, including healthcare workers and
Those who have traveled in the past 14 days in countries or cities with ongoing community spread of the virus.

CDC Travel Health Notices

Travelers returning from one of the countries with community spread of COVID-19 should monitor themselves for fever and other symptoms of COVID-19, including cough and shortness of breath, for 14 days after they return from one of those countries.

What are the symptoms?

Patients with COVID-19 have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of:

Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath

Are there different strains of coronavirus?

Yes, there are seven different coronaviruses known to infect humans.

Four of the seven coronaviruses are very common, more mild (similar to the common cold), and most people will be infected with at least one of them in their lifetime. Healthcare providers test for these common coronaviruses routinely, and no public health measures are needed to address these common coronaviruses. People infected with the common coronaviruses can avoid passing them to others by covering their coughs and sneezes, cleaning their hands frequently and containing germs by staying home when ill.
Three of the seven coronaviruses are rare and can cause more severe illness; this includes COVID-19. Testing for this virus can only be done at CDC; healthcare providers are not able to test for this virus independent of the public health department.

What should I do if I have traveled to an area with the infection and feel sick?

If you have had exposure to a known case or traveled to a country with community spread and developed a fever or respiratory symptoms, please isolate yourself at home from others and contact our local VDH before seeking medical care. If you need immediate medical care, contact your healthcare provider to describe your symptoms and any recent travels before you go to the healthcare facility.

How can I protect myself?

While there is currently no vaccine and no specific antiviral treatment for COVID-19, the best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to this virus and those with the virus can seek medical care to relieve symptoms. There are simple, everyday actions you can take to help prevent spreading germs that cause respiratory viruses. These include:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Close contact is defined as being within approximately 6 feet, or within the room or care area, of a COVID-19 case for a prolonged period of time while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment (PPE). Close contact can also include caring for, living with, visiting or sharing a healthcare waiting area or room with a COVID-19 case. Having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case (such as being coughed on) while not wearing recommended PPE.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.

If you are sick, to keep from spreading respiratory illness to others, you should:

Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ