*CORONA VIRUS: WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW?*

The staff at Elgin Pediatrics is monitoring the rapidly changing developments regarding the spread of human coronavirus. Here’s what you need to know right now:

• There is cause for thoughtful planning but no need for panic. Families should prepare for the possibility that if disease becomes widespread there may be some community disruptions. Think about contingency plans in case schools are closed. Make sure that children who take chronic medications have a 2-4 week supply on hand.
• Testing at this point in time is limited to people who meet the CDC case definition for illness/exposure . Testing is also available for those people that are ill enough to require hospital admission and meet the CDC criteria. At this time, testing is becoming more widely available.
• If your child is mildly ill,we encourage you to care for him/her at home. There is no medication at this time for coronavirus. Of course, if your child is having trouble breathing, becoming dehydrated or otherwise significantly ill,we want to talk to you and evaluate your child. Please call us if you have any questions or concerns.

We are here to help. To keep updated on human coronavirus disease visit the Center for Disease Control: cdc.gov