COVID-19

GDP UPDATE: How GDP is Keeping You & Your Kiddos Safe & Healthy
During the Pandemic

COVID-19 Pandemic: What your GDP family is doing for you and your family.
Our crew at Great Destinations has been working hard to keep up with all the latest research with COVID-19, present that research to you, and adjust how we do things to keep everyone safe.

Here’s what’s going on at our office:

Everyone at GDP is wearing a face mask and PPE, practicing excellent hand washing, and disinfecting each patient room after every visit.
Everyone 2 years old and older are required to wear a face mask before entering our office (this includes the parents).
We only allow one parent or caregiver per office visit. The exceptions to the "ONE PARENT RULE" are as follows: the newborn visit, 2 week visit, 2 month visit, and any visit for anxiety, depression, or ADHD; parents of twins and triplets may bring another adult, and the 4 year old visit if there is a sibling who also needs shots at the time. We are sorry for the inconvenience but we are trying to minimize everyones' exposure.
Parents coming for a visit no longer need to call from the parking lot UNLESS you or your child have COVID-19 infection OR have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19 infection. If you have COVID-19 or have been exposed please call us from your car and we will see your child in your car. Anyone 2 years old and up will need to wear a face mask please.
If you or your child does not have COVID-19 infection and no exposure to COVID-19, you may come in through the front door and notify our staff that you are here. We use separate well and sick waiting rooms and clean them constantly throughout the day.
We will escort any parent or child who has an immune disorder, extreme prematurity, on medicine that lowers the immune system, or has any condition that would result in severe illness if infected with COVID, directly to an exam room OR offer telehealth (but our providers prefer to see your child in person.)
We prefer not to utilize telehealth as seeing your child in person and doing a full exam is always preferred. However, if you have concerns and want a prefer a telehealth visit please talk to our triage nurse and we will help if we are able.

We urge you to continue to come in for your children’s well check-ups and continue vaccinating your child/teen. Vaccination rates have dropped markedly in the U.S. and physicians are concerned that we may see vaccine preventable illnesses such as measles and meningitis in the next year leaving the young and immunocompromised at great risk.

Thank you for your patience as we adjust our schedule and our practice to meet your families’ needs.
Written by Dr. Prentice
Updated 7/18/21

Home-Isolation-Guidelines
Quarantine Guidance for Household and Close Contacts
COVID Testing Sites Link

WHY WE WEAR A MASK ALL DAY & NEED YOU TO WEAR YOURS TOO!

It’s not about me and it’s not about you. Wearing a mask is for your grandma and grandpa. For the newborn in the other room. For the child or mom going through chemotherapy with a bad immune system.

We wear the mask so we don’t spread anything to them, and so we don’t catch anything, and then pass it along to someone who may die if they get COVID.

“But I’m not sick and don’t have a fever, so why do I have to wear the mask?” you say. Well, at least 30-40% of people who are infected with COVID have NO symptoms or haven’t gotten symptoms yet. In the case of chickenpox and many other viruses, you are extremely contagious before you get obvious symptoms. So maybe at this moment you feel fine and that’s good, but you could still spread it.

So please, please, please keep the mask on while we you are in our office. Wear it properly over your nose and mouth. Do not pull it down to talk to us. You will be protecting us, yourself, the babies and children we care for, your family, and your neighbors.

Thank you,

Your Great Destinations Pediatrics Family

Written by Dr. Karen Prentice 6-9-2020

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Dr. Karen Prentice D.O. F.A.A.P.

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