March 19, 2020 AAP Update for Pediatricians

Coronavirus Update: A Message from AAP President Sally Goza, MD, FAAP

March 19, 2020

Dear Colleagues:

After yesterday’s letter, we heard from a number of you with questions about the guidance on well-child visits. I wanted to take a moment to reinforce that AAP recommends pediatricians continue to see newborns and infants for preventive care, as well as younger children who need immunizations.

We know that delaying care for newborns and other vulnerable children during this time could have devastating consequences for their health. We can be flexible to determine the best way to schedule patient visits to minimize the risk, including spacing out visits, modifying our clinical space, or rescheduling visits for older children until a later date.

Routine preventive and sick care are important to keep children healthy, including during this pandemic. Data from other countries show that the symptoms of COVID-19 are generally milder in children, but that does not mean they cannot get sick and need care. We should remain vigilant in our response to potential illness in children, and help parents understand when they need to seek care.

Similarly, we should not disregard the potential for children, adolescents and young adults to be carriers of the virus and transmit COVID-19 to others, as is underscored in this AAP News article.

Please continue to email any questions about COVID-19 to COVID-19@aap.org. This email box is being monitored so AAP can respond quickly to frequently asked questions.

New Tele-mentoring Program on COVID-19

The AAP is launching a new ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) project, titled “AAP COVID-19 ECHO: Emergency Readiness & Response.” Infectious disease experts and emergency readiness physicians will be connected by video with those providing care to children to discuss policies and procedures related to COVID-19. Recognizing that so much has changed in our world in a very short time, this ECHO will be a space to support one another while learning and working through challenges together. Meetings will be scheduled twice per month beginning the week of March 30. Please register by March 24

Thank you for all you do every day for children, now more than ever. Stay safe.

Sincerely,

Sally Goza, MD, FAAP

President, American Academy of Pediatrics

CHILDHOOD VACCINATION WORKS ! World Health Organization (WHO) TAKE

WHO (@WHO) tweeted at 5:03 AM on Thu, Feb 08, 2018:
Vaccine-preventable diseases include:
Cervical cancer
Cholera
Diphtheria
Hep B
Influenza
Japanese encephalitis
Measles
Mumps
Pertussis
Pneumonia
Polio
Rabies
Rotavirus
Rubella
Tetanus
Typhoid
Varicella
Yellow Fever

#VaccinesWork!
Click on the link to: 5 facts on vaccines you need to know https://t.co/jEe8UU9pHX
(https://twitter.com/WHO/status/961540950538555392?s=03)

Get Your Flu Shots Now

A report by the Centers for Disease Control shows influenza is now widespread in every state except Hawaii. Almost 75,000 cases have been reported so far. That doesn’t include patients who treat their symptoms at home and never seek medical care.

The CDC blames the flu for killing 30 children this season. Adult deaths are not tracked, but estimated to be higher than usual. The high flu activity is attributed to the prevalence of the H3N2 flu, this year’s most common form of flu. H3N2 is associated with more severe illness, especially among children and the elderly. Flu seasons during which H3 viruses are prevalent are usually worse and come with more hospitalizations and deaths.

Please stop by today to get your flu shot, if you haven’t done so. It is never too late!