Now that school is out, Jackie Kernan the President of OSF Holy Family Medical Center says now is the time to support kids and take a deep breath:
“A lot of our children are very scared. They are hearing about this and they don’t really know what to think about it. Their family members are anxious and they can see them out and about trying to gather with supplies and stock piling and they have a lot of questions. So being very supportive to our children, really taking a step back and taking a breath. We are going to get through this. I think this is a time that we are going to learn a great deal how to prepare for other emergencies such as this in the future. It is a scary time and there is a lot of uncertainty, so we just need to be able to make decisions for that time, that minute and be agile in change our minds and change focus as we need too,” shares Kernan.
Kernan says OSF is in very close contact with local school superintendents and the Emergency Response Team in Warren County.
Kernan wants to share with the public how to proceed if you are symptomatic or think you have been exposed to the coronavirus:
“If you are symptomatic, having symptoms that you are worried about, shortness of breath, coughing, high fever, we are asking that you call ahead. Call to your physician office, talk to them and they will be able to direct you to the right area. Call ahead to the emergency room that is the next place you need to go. We are really reinforcing that we are saving the emergency room for those that are in immediate crisis. Use the chatbot and our physicians’ offices as the first line of treatment,” Kernan states.
Kernan says you can log onto the OSF Healthcare website and chat live with their chatbot, Clare.
