Covid-19

Beacon Pediatrics would like to thank all of our patients, families, and staff for caring for one another throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As we continue to adjust to the "new normal” of living with COVID-19 as a part of our everyday lives, we will continue to provide you with up-to-date information.

If you test positive for COVID at home, please let our office know so we can document it in your chart.Additionally, patients testing positive for COVID who are 12 years and older with certain medical conditions may be eligible for treatment to prevent severe disease or mortality with an oral medication. Please contact the office if you believe this applies to your child.

Please see the AAP websitefor updated COVID 19 guidance.

You should:

• Isolate and wear a well-fitted mask around others at home until you are both 24 hours fever-free without the use of fever-reducingmedications and your symptoms have improved.
• Leave isolation whenyou have been fever-free for 24 hours (without fever-reducing medication) and other symptoms are improving. Ideally, you should continue to wear a well-fitted mask until all of your symptoms have resolved and/or you testnegative on a home COVID swab. Avoid all restaurants or any other experience that forces you to be unmasked around others while you are still symptomatic.
• Practice good hygiene including washing you hands often, cover coughs and sneezes

One of the most important steps in a return to a new “normal” is for all vaccine eligible patients to receive the COVID vaccine. The AAP recommends the completion of an initial vaccination series for EVERYONE ages 6-23 months, a single dose for all children 2-18 years of age who are high risk for severe COVID 19, and for children 2-18 years of age whose parent or guardian desires protection from COVID 19 for their child. We are currently offering the COVID vaccine to all eligible patients (ages 6 monthsand older).The COVID vaccine is also widely available in the community and we encourage all eligible patients to receive the vaccine to prevent or reduce acute illness and to prevent or reduce the likelihood of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome of Children, which can occur weeks after infection and in rare cases can be deadly.

We encourage all patients to stay home if they are feeling sick and to get tested! There is no way to know if cold symptoms are caused by COVID without testing! Home tests are widely available and PCR testing is available with an in person visit at Beacon Pediatrics. There is no need to test further if an at home COVID test is positive. Confirmatory PCR is not helpful or necessary.

Please contact the office with any questions or concerns.