The University of Kansas Health System continues to have a steady number of COVID-19 patients. 16 patients are being treated for the virus, down from 17 yesterday. 5 of those patients are in the ICU, up from 4 yesterday. Doctors say there have been no surges or spikes in the number of patients since recent news reports of large public gatherings without proper social precautions.
Dr. Robert Lane, an Executive Vice President and Physician-in-Chief at The Children’s Mercy Hospital, Dr. Angela Myers, Division Director for Infectious Diseases at The Children’s Mercy Hospital and Dr. Stephen Lauer, pediatrician, The University of Kansas Health System joined the panel to share insights into frequently asked questions about children and COVID-19.
Dr. Myers mentioned a recent study in the Journal of Pediatrics that shows there has been minimal child-to-child or child-to-adult transmission of COVID-19, which is different from what doctors usually see in viruses like the flu. That brought up much discussion and many questions from viewers. She says it’s just one example of how much we’ve learned about the disease since it first broke out. She addressed Multi System Inflammatory Syndrome, a condition which seems to affect some children 2-4 weeks after being diagnosed with COVID-19. She also said there’s no evidence that kids with cancer are more at risk of the virus than others.
Dr. Lane says things have really changed at Children’s Mercy Hospital from how patients are seen to the number of telemedicine visits…which account for about 70% of their patient visits right now. He says families really like it and gave the example of moms who don’t have to pack up all the kids and drive to the doctor’s office to have just one child seen. Like all other hospitals, they are ramping up office visits and procedures. And have made many structural and procedural changes to keep patients and staff safe. He also says parents need to find ways for their kids to get outside and active rather that stay inside watching TV and playing video games.
Dr. Lauer said kids respond poorly to persistent stress, such as the isolation from friends and activities during the pandemic. He believes this may have mental health implications for children for years to come. He thinks it’s vital to get children back to a normal routine as soon as it’s safely possible. He says while telehealth has been a big success at The University of Kansas Health System for pediatrics, there is no substitute for some in-person visits such as well-child checkups and vaccinations. He says it’s vital parents keep up those vaccinations during the pandemic.
Dana Hawkinson, MD, medical director of infection prevention and control at The University of Kansas Health System answered questions about kids and masks and says it’s not practical nor advisable for those under two. He also says there’s no evidence that the virus can be spread from mother to child during birth. He also answered viewer questions about whether movers and housekeepers should be wearing masks when they come to your home.
Steve Stites, MD, chief medical officer at the health system, agreed telehealth visits are one of the few good things to come from the pandemic. He says they are here to stay and give doctors and patients more flexibility. He says we’ve learned a lot in the past few months about the disease, but there is still much to be learned. He says now is not the time to get complacent about proper social responsibility, as COVID-19 will be with us until a vaccine and treatment is ready.
Thursday, June 4 at 8:00 a.m. is the next daily briefing call. KDHE Secretary Lee Norman returns to update antibody testing at the state level as well as Ad Astra and county emergency declaration plans. He is joined by Rachael Liesman, Ph.D., Director of Microbiology at the health system. They join Dr. Stites and Dr Hawkinson to bring us up to date.
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