Safe Ground Transport of Pediatric COVID-19 Patients-A Single-Center First-Surge Experience

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges to pediatric transport programs. The aims of this study were to describe the transport of pediatric patients with confirmed COVID-19 and to review the operational challenges that our transport system encountered.

A retrospective descriptive study was performed to review all COVID-19 pediatric transport performed over a 6-month period during the initial pandemic surge in 2020. Pediatric patients with a known positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test at the time of transport were included. Patients' hospital records, including their transport record, were reviewed for demographics, diagnoses, transport interventions and complications, and admission disposition. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the patient cohort.

Of the 883 transports performed between April and October 2020, 146 (16%) tested positive for COVID-19 during the initial surge in our geographical area. Patient acuity was diverse with 40% of children having a chronic complex medical condition. More than 25% of children required aerosol-generating procedures during transport. The most common medical diagnosis was respiratory compromise, and the most common surgical diagnosis was appendicitis. No adverse events occurred during transports, and no transport team members contracted COVID-19 because of workplace exposure. Transport program operational challenges ranged from rapidly changing system logistics/policies to educational and utilization of proper personal protective equipment.

Children with COVID-19 can be transported safely with adaption of transport program procedures. Change management and team stress should be anticipated and can be addressed with repeated education and messaging.