As our community works together to fight the spread of the fast-moving COVID-19 coronavirus we hope you are staying healthy. While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your health and safety.
Our office follows infection control recommendations made by the American Optometric Association (AOA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), as well as Minnesota State Optometric Board and Minnesota Department of Health. We follow the activities of these agencies so that we are up to date on any new rulings or guidance that may be issued. We do this to make sure that our infection control procedures are current and adhere to each agencies’ guidelines.
You will see some changes when it is time for your next appointment. We made these changes to help protect our patients and staff. For example:
- Screening: You’ll be asked the COVID-19 screening questions when you arrive at the office.– All patients and staff will be screened with temperature readings before entry to our clinics. Anyone with a fever (100.4 or above), cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19, should reschedule their appointment.
- Masking: Every person entering our office will be asked to wear their own face-mask of their choosing as per Governor Walz’s recommendations.
- Hand Hygiene: All patients, visitors, and staff will be asked to use hand sanitizer frequently throughout the visit, with particular attention before and after touching/adjusting a face mask or after touching any potentially contaminated surface. You will find hand santizier located on the wall throughout the office.
- Environment: Common areas are cleaned routinely, and patient care areas and equipment are disinfected between each patient. You may see that our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, children’s toys and so forth, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
- Appointments: Managed to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment. We appreciate your understanding moving scheduled appointments.
- Limiting Visitors: Guests will be restricted from accompanying patients inside the clinic to their appointment unless required for a legal (i.e. parent/guardian) or medical (i.e. mobility) reason. Guests are encouraged to wait in their vehicles. We will do our best to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time.
- Social Distancing: Our waiting rooms have been arranged to accommodate social distancing recommendations. We ask that patients and visitors follow social distancing recommendations, whenever possible, in our facilities.
We are so excited to begin our transition back into routine and medical eye care. We look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice.
Thank you for being our patient. We value your trust and loyalty and look forward to seeing you again soon!
McDonald Eye Care
