Choices: Our Calm Response to the Coronavirus Crisis

Choices Pregnancy Center chose a calm response to the coronavirus crisis that maintains strong and safe connections with our community.Concerns about the coronavirus, COVID 19, have caused uncertainty in many parts of our society. In the midst of the upheaval, we at Choices Pregnancy Center are certain that serving our neighbors’ pregnancy and parenting needs remains our top priority.

Therefore, we choose to continue serving, calmly and with appropriate care for our neighbors’ health and ours. Crises are, after all, when help like ours is needed most.

For this reason, we have implemented the following policies:

  1. We will encourage current clients to utilize BrightCourse to stream their parenting or pregnancy education lessons from their smart phone or computer. This requires only a call to receive a link to the lessons of their choice.
  2. Gwenn, our Client Services Coordinator, will still be available to meet with clients one-on-one if needed. However, we encourage clients to stay at home and connect with us by texting or calling 507-637-2634 during this time.
  3. Toys that are available for use by clients’ children have been carefully limited.  Those that remain will be wiped down daily in an effort to eliminate illness and the spread of disease.
  4. ONLY ADULT CLIENTS WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE BABY BUCK BOUTIQUE.  This information is clearly posted on our entry door, as well as the doorway leading to the boutique.  We wish to avoid little hands touching and rearranging boutique items.
  5. We will wipe down all frequently contacted surfaces (such as doorknobs, light switches, keyboards, electronics, phones, etc.) throughout each day of the center’s operation.
  6. We will offer emergency diapers, wipes, formula, etc. while supplies last. Clients receive first priority, but these essentials will not be hoarded at the expense of our other neighbors.
  7. Our center will be operating with limited staff on site, with appropriate “social distancing.” When staff can complete work away from the office, we encourage them to do so.
  8. We will make material supplies available by drive-up or by delivery, if clients’ needs dictate and/or state guidelines change.
  9. We will regularly monitor the latest information on COVID 19 from government and local health agencies, and adjust our practices appropriately.

These are the practices we have chosen to implement, in order to maintain safe and strong connections with the neighbors we care about.

Even in a crisis, we still have choices about how to respond.

As we teach our clients, even in a crisis we all have choices. Responding with calm and wisdom, enlightened by the best information available, we can find a positive way through to the other side.

 


For pregnancy- or breastfeeding-related medical information on COVID 19, please refer to the following sites, which are generally held to be reliable:

CDC: Information on Coronavirus Disease 2019, Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

MN Dept. of Health updates on COVID 19