April 14, 2020

The development of a COVID-19 vaccine is the greatest medical need of our generation—and Texas Children’s is on the front lines.

Drs. Peter Hotez and Maria Elena Bottazzi, who co-direct Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development, are rapidly advancing their work on vaccines that will protect against COVID-19 and other coronaviruses.

“Without a vaccine, we’re using 14th-century methods of prevention—that’s what quarantining and social distancing are, and we have to use these methods, “ Hotez said. “But vaccines have always been our best and most powerful front-line public health defense against widespread infection, and they are the answer—now and in the future—for COVID-19 and other coronaviruses.”

Most people aren’t aware that there is an entire family of coronaviruses. The one that has ignited our global pandemic is SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) are two others that have emerged in recent years.

Drs. Hotez and Bottazzi, along with their teams, have already developed recombinant protein-based vaccines against SARS and MERS. One of them is ready to be tested in humans; the other is ready for scaled-up production. We are now using our extensive expertise with these related viruses to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 and quickly move it into the clinic.

In a recent interview on the nationally syndicated health show “Dr. Oz”, Dr. Hotez shared his thoughts on COVID-19 and what he feels the future will bring. You can view part one and part two of the interview.

To learn more about the work taking place at Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development visit TexasChildrensVaccines.org.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Texas Children’s leaders have been working tirelessly to keep us informed about COVID-19 and the organization’s response to this historic and unprecedented event.

From timely global e-mail communications to implementing various precautionary measures – including employee/patient screening, employee/patient testing algorithms, quarantine and masking protocols, and social distancing – our COVID-19 response has focused on protecting the health and safety of our patients, employees and staff while ensuring Texas Children’s facilities have sufficient resources to support patient care and operations.

“Our preparation for COVID-19 began back in January when we started screening all patients arriving for appointments,” said Chief Nursing Officer Mary Jo Andre. “We activated our Incident Command Center on March 12. This was a critical step in our response to this rapidly evolving health situation, as our command structure provides the support that is necessary to not only manage operations today, but also to proactively forecast needs and plan accordingly for the future.”

The Incident Command structure consists of eight subcommand centers. These include Logistics, Operations, Planning, Finance/Human Resources, and four other subcommand centers that cover Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, Texas Children’s Pediatrics and Urgent Care, and Texas Children’s Health Plan. Each of these teams provide guidance for the organization’s response to COVID-19.

The Incident Command Center is co-chaired by Andre, Interim Physician-in-Chief and Pathologist-in-Chief Dr. James Versalovic and Executive Vice President Mark Mullarkey. This team works closely with our eight large subcommand centers dealing with a variety of issues related to supplies, remote access, visitor and patient screening, patient placement, shuttle service, dining services, adult care services, community services and response, and a command focused primarily on supporting our employees and staff.

In collaboration with our partners from Infection Control, the Special Isolation Unit, Nursing, Pathology, Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Supply Chain, and other areas critical to system wide planning, the command centers also work with our Human Resources and Corporate Communications teams to ensure timely information is communicated to our employees and staff.

“We attend conference calls throughout the day with many leaders representing diverse areas of the organization to help us reassess and strategize our needs around COVID-19,” Mullarkey said. “The pandemic is a dynamic situation with rapidly changing information and new developments are constantly coming to light. As this situation unfolds, we have been adjusting our response protocols as needed and reporting out to system leadership via weekly Shared Leadership teleconferences.”

While ensuring the health and safety of our employees, patients and families remain the highest priority, communication and transparency have played a pivotal role in our response to COVID-19. As decisions are made in the Incident Command Center, employees and staff can always stay informed through global e-mail communications and by visiting Texas Children’s COVID-19 Resources webpage. Employees can also visit Texas Children’s Coronavirus Connect page for updated information.

Versalovic says the organization will continue to work together one day at a time to respond to the challenges ahead, and for as long as this pandemic lasts, we will come out of it stronger than ever.

“Texas Children’s is a sturdy and resilient organization,” Versalovic said. “While we have weathered many catastrophic storms together, we will get through this COVID-19 pandemic together. We are grateful to our entire team for leading tirelessly and for their strength and resilience they have shown every step of the way.”

April 13, 2020

After Hurricane Katrina slammed into New Orleans in 2015, thousands of people poured into Houston looking for food, shelter and medical care. Many of them were housed at NRG Stadium, including children. Texas Children’s – one of the only pediatric medical institutions on site – set up shop inside the stadium and started caring for the children – more than 2,500 in all.

In 2009, Texas Children’s used a similar concept during the H1N1 pandemic setting up what we now call our Mobile Pediatric Emergency Response Team (MPERT) in the physician parking lot across from our Emergency Center in the Medical Center. Medical staff working MPERT saw about 60 children a day during that crisis, providing capacity for the surge of patients coming to our Emergency Center.

Several weeks ago when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, leaders asked themselves whether they should launch MPERT again. Even though the disease’s target is not children, they decided to move forward with the effort not only at Texas Children’s Hospital in the Medical Center but at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands and the Pavilion for Women.

“Texas Children’s has always had a keen eye to preparedness whether it be H1N1, Ebola or COVID-19,”said Medical Director of Emergency Management Dr. Brent Kaziny. “We have never faltered in our commitment to provide exceptional care in times of crisis including the one we are facing today with COVID-19.”

Teams across the Texas Children’s system, including Facilities, Information Services, Pharmacy and Emergency Services, have been working hard over the past few weeks to set up MPERT in the Medical Center, at West Campus and in The Woodlands. The teams are tailored to their locations. One is set up in a parking garage, the other in a clinic waiting room and another in a large, low-traffic hallway. If needed, Texas Children’s also has tents that can be set up in parking lots to handle additional overflow patients.

Each site includes intake, waiting, triage and clinical areas equipped to treat patients who do not have a significant medical history but are exhibiting upper respiratory symptoms. Members of the mobile teams can test patients for flu, strep, urinary tract infections and COVID-19.

The Mobile Maternal Emergency Response Team at the Pavilion for Women is set up in the ambulance dock area in the Medical Center. If a surge of patients occurs, the team will be ready to triage, test and even deliver babies, if necessary. The team is currently being used to test for COVID-19 expectant mothers who are scheduled for an induction.

“We have weathered many things at Texas Children’s and this crisis will be no different,” said Lynda Tyer-Viola, vice president of nursing at the Pavilion for Women. “Because of our resilience, we will come out of this stronger and better.”

Senior Vice President of Facility Operations Bert Gumeringer said his team situated the mobile teams so they can quickly and efficiently triage and treat as many patients as possible.

“This was a large undertaking but everyone worked together and got it done for the good of our patients, families and staff,” Gumeringer said. “Doing what is best for them and for our colleagues is and always has been our primary goal.”

Simulations have been held at all of the mobile sites, all of which will only be launched if there is a surge of patients coming into our system wanting to be tested for COVID-19 or are exhibiting symptoms of the disease. Until then, these teams will stand ready to serve.

“We are here and we are ready to take care of any and all patients who need us during this time,” said Ryan Breaux, director of business operations and support services at West Campus. “I’m extremely proud to work for an organization that is committed to disaster preparedness and to fulfilling our mission no matter the circumstance.”

Eric Allum, director of business operations and support services in The Woodlands, agreed and said Texas Children’s is recognized nationally when it comes to disaster preparedness and that the organization’s dedication to such efforts has paid off.

During Tropical Storm Allison, for example, Texas Children’s was able to stay open and continue to care for patients and families because leaders had the forethought to invest in flood doors in the hospital’s basement.

“We were the only operational hospital in the Medical Center that didn’t flood,” Allum said. “It’s a phenomenal commitment that the organization put forth then and has continued with each new challenge.”

In an effort to implement additional measures to help protect our patients, families and staff, Texas Children’s Pharmacy Services is now offering curbside pick-up.

All Texas Children’s patients are eligible for this prescription service and can pick up refills and new prescriptions at the following locations:

Texas Children’s Medical Center Pharmacy
6651 Main St.
(valet drive at corner of Southgate and Main)
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday

The Center for Children and Women at Southwest Houston Pharmacy
9700 Bissonnet St.
(Look for parking spaces designated for curbside pick-up. Pharmacists bring prescriptions to families while they are sitting in their cars)
Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday

The Center for Children and Women at Greenspoint Pharmacy
700 N. Sam Houston Pkwy. W.
(Look for parking spaces designated for curbside pick-up. Pharmacists bring prescriptions to families while they are sitting in their cars)
Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday

How does curbside pick-up work?

The patient family contacts one of the three participating pharmacies to request curbside pick-up. When the patient family arrives at the pick-up location, they will:

  • Follow signs to park in the designated prescription pick-up area.
  • Call the phone number listed on the sign to notify the pharmacy team of their arrival
  • Review important information about the prescription with the pharmacist over the phone or by video (in certain situations) and payment is collected if applicable.

A member of the pharmacy team will deliver the prescription to the patient family’s vehicle and provide instructions on how to contact the pharmacy team with any future questions. Please note, only credit/debit card payments are accepted for curbside pick-up at this time.

Launched last week, several families have used the curb-side service and have expressed their gratitude for Texas Children’s commitment to their safety. Pharmacy staff is proactively calling families that have not yet picked up their prescriptions. During one of those calls, a family with 13 prescription refills told the technician they were thinking of requesting a transfer to another pharmacy because they did not want to come into the hospital during this pandemic, said Director of Community & Ambulatory Pharmacy Services Yemi Abudu. When they learned about our curbside service they were elated and scheduled to pick their prescriptions up the next day.

Abudu said families can continue to come into to the pharmacy if they wish, but now have the option to pick it up curbside, especially if they do not have any other reason to come into the hospital.

“This is an innovative way to keep our business going and to meet the ongoing needs of our patients and families,” she said. “We are pleased to be able to offer this to them during this unprecedented time of need.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for all of us. We’ve been asked to step outside our comfort zones more than once, and we will most likely be asked to do so again before this event comes to an end. We want you to know that you are not alone and that if you find yourself feeling stressed about the situation, there are recourses available that can help support your mental, physical and spiritual needs.

Here’s how you can access many of those tools:

Stress Management

Click here for a comprehensive list of stress management resources provided by our Employee Health, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Well-Being teams.

Cigna also has the following tools to help you manage anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Managing anxiety
Coping with the fear of coronavirus
Self-care strategies

Relaxation techniques

Breathing: practicing deep breathing can help your body to feel more relaxed and refreshed in stressful moments. Check this article for a step-by-step deep breathing exercise.
Visualization: this technique helps expand our ability to rest and relax by focusing our minds on more calming and serene images. For a 15-minute guided imagery, please check this video.
Meditation: Meditation has great benefits for stress management and can be practiced in many ways. Check the steps for a 5-minute meditation to get started.

Eating healthy
  • Regulate blood sugar with protein and fiber at meals and snacks. Regulating blood sugar with give your body the nutrients when stress may arise and strengthen your immune system.
  • Consume fruits and vegetables at every meal. Your body needs a variety of vitamins and minerals to support your overall health. When the weather starts to change and people around you are starting to get sick, it is important to boost your immune system with vitamins and minerals like vitamin c, zinc, vitamin E, and vitamin A. Try to fill your plate with a variety of colors of fruits and vegetables along with protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
  • Add garlic and ginger into your food. They do not fight the flu or coronavirus, but they do boost your immune system and may help lower blood pressure and slow down hardening of the arteries. Ginger is another food item that you may turn to after getting sick. Ginger decreases inflammation, which can help reduce sore throats and other inflammatory illnesses.
  • Here are more tips on how to keep your immune system healthy.

Tired of cooking? You can access Mom’s Meals® through the Healthy Rewards program. Mom’s Meals® provides nutritionally balanced, refrigerated and ready-to-eat meals direct to your home, the home of an aging parent or any address nationwide. Place your order at 877-347-3438 or online at momsmeals.com/Cigna.

Get moving

Twenty minutes of daily exercise has been proven to boost the immune system. Movement produces with blood cells that kill bacteria and viruses.
Here are some exercises that you can perform at home.

Texas Children’s Employee Health and Wellness Strengthen and Tone instructor, Anna, is offering live classes on her personal Instagram account @Annahaulina on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Our Barre instructor, Alissa, will be offering class on Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Please email her at Alissa.ann@hotmail.com with Barre Class in the subject line and she will send you a Zoom link to participate.

  • Define is offering free workouts from Bounce, Barre, Yoga, Beat (Dance Cardio), Mind and Prenatal.
  • Camp Gladiator has just announced their Hustle from Home series of workouts, where anyone can have access to digital workouts, Facebook live workouts and at-home printable workouts.
  • Peloton is offering a free 90-day trial for their workout library of strength, yoga, meditation, boot camp, cycling, and running classes.
  • YouTube can always be accessed for a variety of excellent at-home workouts.

Stay calm and informed
Make sure that you are getting your information from a creditable source. Stay up to date with Texas Children’s COVID-19 communications. Click here to view the Connect COVID-19 page and here to visit our external COVID-19 Resources webpage.

Get plenty of sleep
More sleep does not prevent you from getting sick, however not getting enough could adversely affect your immune system. Without sufficient sleep, your body makes fewer cytokines, a type of protein that targets infection and inflammation, effectively creating an immune response. Experts recommend getting 7-9 hours of sleep a night.

Finding courage

The following passage was written by Texas Children’s Chaplain James Denham. His words are adaptations from a prayer written by American theologian Cornelius Plantinga, Jr. and sentiments made by pediatric chaplain Gloria Kroeze.

We are people of accomplishment. We invent, we create, we build, we discover, we train, we break records, we teach, we support, we nurture, we help. We do all of these things, but now we come stunned, because in spite of all we can do, we don’t know what to do. We are scared. We are scared by what we fear may happen. We are scared by something that we cannot understand. We are scared by something that we cannot see — a microscopically small virus. This virus has altered our present lives, it has shut down our schools, it has cancelled our plans, it has emptied our schedules and it has separated us. It has consumed our thoughts, our conversations, social media, the news and our prayers. We live in a world of many unknowns and we struggle to keep up with what is going on. We do know that we don’t want to get sick. We do know that we can’t get near each other as we’d like.

In these moments, it is our courage that grounds us. Courage is not a lack of fear, or a lack of uncertainty. It is an unwavering trust even when we aren’t sure. It is being tireless even though we also feel tired. Courage is hope no matter how challenging a situation looks. Ryder Carroll once wrote, “No matter how bleak or menacing a situation may appear, it does not entirely own us. It can’t take away our freedom to respond, our power to take action.” In our case, while our world is full of unknowns, we stand in a place of courage, ready to act in the face of it, and we do it together.

May we find blessing from one another, through the help we offer, the support we give, the laughter we share, the listening we give. We may not know what to do, but we know who we are. People of compassion, kindness, strength, and endurance. People who rise with courage to face even the unknowns and the heartaches.

From that which is sacred to us, we ask for help. Source of hope, quiet our fears. Source of peace, calm our spirits. Source of strength keep us going. Source of healing, provide enough to heal. Bless those who care for the sick and have been even before COVID — and protect their families. Bless those who are sick in the midst of all this chaos. Bless family members who are able to be with the sick. Bless those who are separated from those they love. Bless those who are hopeful for healing. Bless those who are trying to be hopeful. Bless those who are making decisions and protocols that will affect many. May your hands, your hearts, and your work be blessed by your Source and by each other.

April 7, 2020

Chief Nursing Officer Mary Jo Andre provides an update on the evolving COVID-19 situation and highlights three areas that are being frequently addressed: PPE, testing and operations. Read more