Coronavirus in Kansas City: What Parents Need to Know
The news of the international evacuations, quarantines and deaths from the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, is scary. My kids have been talking about it at school; patients are asking questions the office.
The reason COVID-19 is dominating international headlines is because when a particular virus has not been identified in humans before (a “novel” virus) it takes swift and coordinated action to determine how people are getting sick, who is most susceptible to the infection, and how to contain and cure.
The spread of COVID-19 outside China is worrisome, but not unexpected. We travel. We have dynamic lives. We have friends, relatives, and business in far off places. KC is NOT immune to infectious disease and it is possible that we will hear of an infected individual in our State.
At this time, however, COVID-19 is not a direct threat to kids in our area. In fact, the virus is not causing significant illness in children. Unless you have recently been to China or been in direct contact with someone infected with COVID-19 there is little reason to worry and no reason to come to your doctor’s office to be tested. Tonight in #KC, the most common cause of a significant respiratory illness in your child remains influenza A and B.
With any viral illness, recovery depends upon the strength of a person’s immune system. So during cold and flu season, regardless of COVID-19, we want to do what we can to keep our immune systems strong. Things like:
REST.
Not smoking or vaping.
Choosing good nutrition.
Exercising regularly.
Washing your hands.
Getting your flu shot and other recommended vaccines.
Avoiding stress.
Staying home when we are sick.
Prioritizing time for fun and family when we are well.
These are all things we can control and that will protect our families.
Being isolated or quarantined in your own home country against an enemy you cannot see sounds terrifying. Until we know more, I remain thankful for the quick action of our international health agencies, epidemiologists, scientists, vaccinologists, and first responders who are are the forefront of this emergence; and for the international effort to keep everyone safe.
For the latest information on coronavirus in our area, follow cdc.gov.
