Comer Children's COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic

Absolutely. Our teams are working diligently to ensure our patients and healthcare workers are safe during this unique time. We are working together to practice social distancing and are all wearing masks to help protect our patients and colleagues.

Comer Children’s is testing all patients admitted to the hospital, regardless of their symptoms. The only exception is newborns, whose laboring parents will be tested.

Yes, we are still seeing all patients. We are seeing many in a new way. We are offering video visits, which allow you and your child to see and talk with your provider through the camera on your phone or your computer. Limiting the number of children, parents and staff in our clinics allows us to protect our patients and the community. If your child has an upcoming appointment with your provider, you may be contacted to set up a video visit. In some cases, we still need to see your child in person and, if so, we will do everything to ensure your child and your safety.

Comer Children’s continues to provide all services including second opinions, and patients are encouraged to schedule video visits no matter where in the world they’re located. Most specialties in Comer Children’s are committed to seeing patients within three working days of their initial contact with the hospital.

In addition to video visits, you can also connect with your provider remotely through:

• E-visits
• Online second opinions

Virtual visits are not for emergencies. If you have an urgent medical need, call 911 or visit your nearest emergency department or urgent care facility. All patients who are able should utilize their online patient portal (MyChart or Ingalls Care Connection) to communicate with their care teams.

Patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are placed in private rooms, and healthcare workers wear personal protective equipment (gowns, gloves, mask, eye protection) when caring for these children. Healthcare workers also practice hand hygiene before putting on their PPE and after taking off their PPE. We’ve been training for this our whole careers.

Yes. We do not make these decisions lightly, but believe they are a necessary step to protect our patients, their families, our healthcare workers, and the community during a public health crisis. We understand that these  restrictions will create a significant hardship for many people, but we ask for your understanding and cooperation during this difficult time.

Valet Parking 

Valet parking is available, and the valet team is taking extra safety precautions, including:

• Wearing protective masks and gloves,
• Installing protective seat and floor board covers to all valet vehicles,
• Disinfecting all vehicle touch points,
• Changing gloves and washing hands between parking and delivery of each vehicle, and
• Social distancing throughout the valet process.

Self Parking

Self-parking options in Garages A and B are available. There is also free street parking on the nearby Midway Plaisance.

Directions and parking garage information

In the hospital, we are following our usual cleaning process for all patient rooms. Rooms of patients that have or are suspected of having COVID-19 undergo several additional cleaning steps that we also use on rooms of patients with several other potentially serious infectious diseases.

UChicago Medicine also just received its 17th consecutive “A” grade for patient safety from Leapfrog.

If you need to see a doctor or go to an emergency room, contact your doctor or local hospital immediately and tell them you are coming. They will make arrangements for your care while also protecting those around you from possible spread of coronavirus. The arrangements may be as simple as placing a mask on when you enter the building and ensuring other patients adhere to social distancing guidelines.