Coronavirus Update 8/30/2022
8/30/2022 update including change on mask requirements for office visits and guidance on COVID vaccines
*Masks are required for kids over age 2 and adults for all appointments.*
What is COVID-19?
- COVID-19, is a new strain of Coronavirus. It is in the same family of viruses as SARS and MERS
- Coronavirus is transmitted through droplets spread through cough, sneezing or touch
- Symptoms may include cough, fever, shortness of breath, and/or muscle aches. Some notice significant loss of appetite and/or loss of smell. Symptoms can range from asymptomatic or mild to severe.
- Many people have mild disease, including most children. Most of the serious cases are in older patients and/or patients with complex medical conditions.
- You can find more information on a very rare inflammatory syndrome reported in some children: Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in Children
How is it treated?
- For most healthy people and children, treatment for COVID is supportive to help relieve symptoms. There are some antibody treatments and antiviral treatments available to high risk individuals who recently tested positive for COVID-19 or had a close contact with COVID-19 and some therapeutics for hospitalized patients.
- There are vaccines available to protect against COVID-19 for all children and adults ages 6 months and over. There are newer vaccines currently being studied for specific variants or multiple variants.
- COVID-19 vaccines are now available for all Arizona children and adults 6 months and over. We are recommending COVID-19 vaccines for all of our patients who are eligable for vaccine. You can find out more information about COVID-19 vaccine distribution from the Maricopa County Health Department.
How can it be prevented?
- Get vaccinated when vaccine is available to you to protect your family and community.
- Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Avoid touching hands to face and eyes.
- Wear a mask for community transmission levels are high or when in high risk situations.
- If you are sick, stay home. Cough or sneeze into your elbow if you have no mask. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Clean surfaces regularly with products labeled effective against bacteria and viruses.
- If you are sick it is recommended to wear a mask or face covering over the nose and mouth even at home to prevent spread of droplets that can infect others.
What to do if you are exposed or you think you may have or at risk for Coronavirus?
- If your child has had contact with someone with COVID-19 but is currently asymptomatic, stay away from others or wear a well fitted mask and monitor for symptoms for 10-14 days from last exposure. Please see the most up to date quarantine guidelines for more specific information on different situations.
- If you have any symptoms of illness, please schedule an appointment to be evaluated.
- For children over the age of 2 with mild or no symptoms we are offering telemedicine visits to come up with a testing plan that works best for your situation.
- If your child is having any respiratory distress, take them to the ER, and let them know you are at risk for COVID.
- Adolescents over the age of 12 years who have had moderate illness due to COVID (prolonged fevers, bedrest, respiratory symptoms but not requiring hospitalization) are recommended to have a screening EKG prior to return to play of vigorous athletics. Children and adolescents who have had assymptomatic or mild infection should be assymptomatic for minimum 14 days before return to play. Call the office or portal message your pediatrician if you have questions or concerns.
Protecting yourself and the community
- Keep yourself informed and know where to find up to date information (CDC.gov, azdhs.gov, who.int)
- Wash your hands, clean surfaces regularly, practice good hygiene control measures
- Wear a mask if you or someone in your household is unvaccinated or high risk when you are out and about and for everyone when community transmission levels are high.
- If you are sick, please stay home!! Refer to the Patient Instructions for Quarantine handout if instructed to self quarantine by your provider.
- Parents and families must continue to make choices they feel is best for their family with regards to day care/school and activities.
What is our office is doing to keep your family safe?
- We have returned to normal office locations and hours. We will continue to monitor the status and provide updates if needed on changes to appointment times/locations.
- We also ask that you let us know before your appointment if you have had known close exposure/contact to anyone with COVID in the last 14 days or have tested positive. You can call our office anytime and we will be happy to help accomodate a change in appointment date or give you further instructions if needing to come in to the office. This is imperative for us to be able to keep our staff and other patients healthy.
- We are offering telemedicine appointments when an in-person exam is not required. Please contact our team to schedule.
- We are currently seeing children of all ages for well checks and sick visits.
- We ask that all families and patients (over age 2 -- to the best of their ability) who are attending an appointment wear a mask. Our staff and providers will be wearing masks for all patient encounters.
- Our staff and cleaning company are taking extra precautions to make sure both offices are appropriately cleaned.
- Our staff and providers are wearing protective equipment and are monitoring frequently for any signs of infection.
Testing for Coronavirus
- We have the capability of doing rapid in-house testing as well as send out testing to local labs. These different test types and their utilization will be based on your child's symptoms and history of illness or exposure and determined by your provider at your child's visit and also based on our testing supply. We are only testing children who are our patients and cannot offer testing of parents.
- We are not routinely recommending antibody testing for Coronavirus.
Travel Information
- For up to date information on travel recommendations please refer to: www.cdc.gov
What is the risk for Maricopa County and Arizona?
- For best up to date information on risk in Arizona and Maricopa county: www.maricopa.gov/coronavirus
Helpful Links & Resources:
CDC Coronavirus Symptom Self-Checker
Patient Instructions for Quarantine
Home Isolation Guidelines
CDC Coronavirus
Maricopa County Health Department
Maricopa County Vaccine Finder
Additional COVID Testing Locations
Information on Higher Filtration Masks in Kids
AAP Guidelines for School Re-entry
AAP Guidelines for Return to Sports
ACC Guidelines for Return to Play following COVID
AAP Guidelines Infants of COVID Positive Mothers
Breastfeeding Guidelines - COVID positive/exposed
COVID Vaccine & Breastfeeding (ABM)
COVID Vaccine & Breastfeeding/Pregnancy (ACOG)
Maricopa County COVID Vaccine Updates
Article on Helping Kids Wear Face Masks
Activity Ideas for Kids
Helping Your Kids Cope