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Paediatric Emergencies During the COVID-19 Pandemic

María Isabel Lázaro Carreño1, Ana Barrés Fernández1, Diannet Quintero García1

  • 1Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain.

Global Pediatric Health
|February 24, 2021
PubMed

Insights

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Spanish emergency departments saw an 84.5% decrease in pediatric visits. Fear of contagion and lifestyle changes likely contributed to fewer, less urgent visits.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • The Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic prompted government-mandated lockdowns and restructuring of healthcare services.
  • Emergency Departments (EDs) implemented new protocols, including pre-triage stations and separate circuits for suspected COVID-19 cases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the impact of the COVID-19 state of alarm on pediatric emergency department visits in Spain.
  • To evaluate changes in patient volume, urgency levels, and the characteristics of children presenting with suspected COVID-19.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of pediatric ED visits before and during the COVID-19 state of alarm.
  • Implementation of a pre-triage system with distinct pathways for suspected and non-suspected COVID-19 cases.
  • Categorization of patients based on symptoms like fever and respiratory issues.

Main Results:

  • A significant 84.5% reduction in overall pediatric ED visits was observed during the alarm state.
  • No increase in the severity or urgency of presented cases.
  • 40.97% of pediatric patients were classified as suspected COVID-19 cases.
  • Distinct patient profiles emerged between suspected and non-suspected COVID-19 groups based on symptoms.

Conclusions:

  • The COVID-19 lockdown and associated public behavior significantly altered pediatric emergency care utilization.
  • Parental fear of contagion likely deterred non-essential visits, redirecting cases to primary care or self-resolution.
  • EDs successfully adapted with new triage systems to manage the pandemic's impact on pediatric services.

Keywords:
COVID-19emergencieslockdownpaediatric

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