Amid flu, COVID-19, St. Charles urging patient, visitor precautions

Those who are feeling ill urged to wear mask, sanitize hands

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- With flu activity still considered high and the Oregon Health Authority’s announcement of the first presumptive case of COVID-19 coronavirus in Oregon, St. Charles Health System on Saturday asked patients and visitors to take precautions when visiting its hospitals and clinics.

Here's the rest of the full announcement, issued Saturday afternoon:

Individuals experiencing fever, cough or difficulty breathing should put on a mask and sanitize their hands. Those who have traveled outside of the United States within the last 14 days or have been in close contact with someone with confirmed COVID-19 should immediately notify a St. Charles caregiver.    

“To protect our community and to reduce the risk of disease transmission, we’re following CDC-recommended guidelines for preparedness,” said Dawn Azevedo, a St. Charles infection preventionist. “These simple steps go a long way to keep people healthy.”

Individuals who are ill and believe they have been exposed to COVID-19 should call their health care provider in advance of their arrival to help minimize exposure, the health system said.    

Other simple steps for helping preventing the spread of germs include:

• High-quality and frequent hand washing with soap and water, or use of hand sanitizer
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Avoiding contact with sick people and staying home if you’re sick
• Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing
• Frequently cleaning high-touch hard surfaces, such as doorknobs, cell phones and tabletops, with a disinfectant wipe  

In addition to these steps, St. Charles is working daily with local public health departments and other key partners to coordinate preparedness efforts.

Be sure to follow St. Charles Health System on Facebook and Instagram for regularly updated information.    

About St. Charles Health System

St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, Madras, Prineville, Redmond and Sisters. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 4,200 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.