We understand that families are concerned about coronavirus (COVID-19). All of us at Willows Pediatrics are carefully monitoring the situation on a daily basis. We are here to answer your questions, and let you know how we can help you and your family stay safe at the same time we address the more routine questions and concerns about your child’s health. The CDC website is a reliable source of information for news and updates on COVID-19: cdc.gov/coronavirus. Below are steps you can take to protect yourself, your family, and our community. While most families are already aware of them, they are still key:
- Encourage good hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Teach your children to cover their coughs and sneezes with their arm or elbow.
- If you or your family are sick, please follow common sense precautions like staying home from work and school and contacting your doctor’s office if needed.
- If your child has traveled to an area with a recent outbreak and feels ill, please speak to us and alert our staff over the phone, we will advise you on what to do.
- If you as a parent have been to a high risk country in the last 14 days and are experiencing fever and/or respiratory symptoms, please do not come to our office with your child-send a spouse, relative, or friend instead.
- As part of our infection control protocol, when parents call to schedule an appointment we will be screening for travel history and review your child’s symptoms if he or she is sick before making an appointment. After you speak with a nurse or PA, we may decide that a virtual appointment is more appropriate than coming to our office.
- Should I cancel my international travel because of COVID-19?
- We encourage you to review the current CDC travel guidelines. The CDC recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland, most countries in Europe, China, South Korea, and Iran (Level 3 warning), and to practice enhanced precautions if traveling to all other countries (Level 2 warning).
- Should I cancel my travel in the United States because of COVID-19?
- Older adults and people of any age with serious chronic medical conditions are at increased rick for severe disease, and should consider postponing non-essential travel. Travelers who are not high risk should use their judgement about traveling now that there is sustained spread of respiratory illness caused by COVID-19 in the United States, avoid contact with sick people, and clean their hands often. Travelers should monitor their health and limit their interactions for 14 days after returning from travel.
- Social distancing
- Please follow the current recommendations for social distancing, if your child’s school is cancelled, stay home, wash hands frequently, and avoid contact with people at high risk for COVID-19 complications, such as older adults and those with underlying health problems.
- Consider getting a flu shot (influenza) if you or you children haven’t had one already. While this does not protect against COVID-19, we want you and your family to stay healthy, and there are still many cases of influenza in our community.
Want to know more? Information on the 2019 Novel Coronavirus is evolving daily. For the latest updates, please check the CDC link above and don’t hesitate to call your doctor, PA, or nurse with any specific questions or concerns.
Updated March 19, 2020
Below are additional links that might be helpful.