From the beginning of this crisis, Town&Style has strived to be a source of good news, helpful information and positivity. We are continuously updating this post with pertinent information about local testing updates and other health care news. Together we are stronger.
PLEASE NOTE: COVID-19 information is constantly evolving, so please check an organization’s website for the absolute latest information.
To support frontline health care workers, SSM Health Foundation has launched an Urgent Response Fund to ensure those caring for the community during the COVID-19 pandemic receive the resources they need. The fund goes toward basic supplies, testing and diagnostics capacity, employee relief efforts, and support for caregivers and their families. For more information and to donate, visit givetossmhealth.org/urgentresponse.
In collaboration with the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Affinia Healthcare operates a drive-through testing station at the Urban League St. Louis County Outreach Center at 8960 Jennings Station Road. Services will be available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon.
Mercy and Mercy Research, in coordination with local blood donation programs, are participating in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s investigation into the use of plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients to treat COVID-19 patients meeting certain criteria. In a unique position because of its own blood donor program, Mercy Hospital St. Louis had its first eligible donation April 6. Donors must have a positive COVID-19 test result, be 28 days symptom free and then test negative for COVID-19. Plasma from one donor can be used to treat up to three patients. According to the FDA, convalescent plasma that contains antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, might be effective in fighting the virus. Anyone who meets the criteria and wants to participate should call Mercy Blood Donors Services at (314) 251-4483.
SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital has created an Urgent Response Fund to help meet the critical needs of the hospital as it responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. Donations will help provide essential supplies and equipment to health care workers and ensure that all patients receive care regardless of their ability to pay. For more information and to give, visit 8008.thankyou4caring.org/urgent-response.
BJC HealthCare and SSM Health have partnered to receive and distribute donations of various medical supplies throughout St. Louis. The goal is to assist St. Louis area hospitals with personal protective equipment and other important supplies needed to care for people with COVID-19. The list of needed supplies and locations can be found at BJC.org/CoronavirusDonations. Items in high demand include FDA-approved surgical masks or N95 masks and thermometers – infrared and forehead with disposable covers. Additional locations and needs are being updated on the site daily, so please reference the website prior to traveling to a donation site. If you plan to donate, please remember to use social distancing precautions at the point of drop-off.
Treatment update:
Wash U researchers are looking at reviving a century-old therapy to see if it will work for COVID-19 patients. Giving the seriously ill transfusions of antibodies from the blood of people who have recovered may provide some answers, says Dr. Jeffrey Henderson of the university’s school of medicine. In the past, the idea was used to prevent and treat diseases like measles, mumps and flu. “This can be done much faster than drug development because it basically involves donating and transfusing plasma,” Henderson says. For more information, visit medicine.wustl.edu.
Ladue Pharmacy is taking precautions to ensure the safety of their staff and community by moving to only offer curbside pickup and delivery.
Locals will still have access to everything in the store along with their prescriptions. Staff is on call to provide concierge level service by taking orders and helping select items in the store. Its second location, Millbrook Pharmacy in University City, is also offering curbside pickup and delivery.
Mercy is operating drive-thru COVID-19 test collection centers. Its Chesterfield site is open at 15740 S. Outer 40 Road; a Washington, Mo., site is open at 6 Fairgrounds Road; a Hillsboro, Mo., site is open at 10349 Business Rte. 21; and a South County site is expected to open soon. PLEASE NOTE: You must call 314.251.0500, be screened over the phone and receive approval before arriving at a Mercy test collection site.
Microsoft and the CDC have come up with an AI-driven chat function that helps you decide if you need to go to the hospital. It asks questions like what symptoms you have, then helps you figure out if you need medical attention. The story is available at msn.com.
St. Luke’s Hospital is opening a drive-through COVID-19 testing site on March 25. The testing site is on the parking lot between the Outpatient Center, Building B and St. Luke’s Resource Center, directly west across Hwy. 141 from the hospital’s main campus. Individuals will need a COVID-19 testing order from a St. Luke’s medical staff provider and will need to schedule an appointment either by phone at 314.966.9107 or online at stlukes-stl.com prior to traveling to the testing site.